


Of Fate and Choice

by Enigmaforum



Category: Suits (TV), X-Men (Movies), X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Crossover, Gen, M/M, suitsbigbang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-23
Updated: 2011-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-27 22:53:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 38,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/300926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enigmaforum/pseuds/Enigmaforum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before Cuba, before the divorce-Charles and Erik are thrown into the future by one of the kids they’re trying to recruit on their roadtrip. They land in Manhattan near Pearson and Hardman where Mike is assaulted by their memories and is called to action to help save the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Suits or X-Men in any way shape or form. That honors goes to people who are far more awesome than I ever will be.
> 
> AN 1: This was written for the Suits Big Bang challenge.
> 
> AN 2: In the X-Men comic-verse Emma Frost starts out as a member of the Hellfire club but eventually joins the X-Men, later forming her own school for mutants. For purposes of this story that element will be brought from the comic-verse. Anything else is straight from the X-Men movies.
> 
> AN 3: The BIGGEST thank you to my lovely beta’s biodarkness and angel. biodarkness I have no idea how you did it so fast. Angel for being my constant sounding board and cheerleader and just one of the best friends I could ever ask for. THANK YOU.

**Part One: Awakening**

It happens when he’s least expecting it of course because that’s when shit has a way of wanting to hit the fan.

Mike sat at his cubicle, highlighter in hand, eyes scanning for something, _anything_ he could possibly use to get Harvey through his newest case and to get the other side to crumble. He _would_ find something; it’s what he was good at, what he had to do despite the buzzing flitting around his head. It was a normal sensation for him, one he was used to keeping on a low volume and drowning out thanks to his training but today it was louder than usual. Louder, more annoying, and way more persistent than anything he’d felt in a very long time.

Mike rubbed the back of his neck as something flashed in his head, black for the moment as he shook his head and willed it away. These late nights must be getting to him and the tight control he kept on his mind when he was at the office. He’d have to force himself to drink more caffeine or actually get more than five hours of sleep tonight in order to keep himself from literally going insane.

He closed his eyes and breathed in and out:

 _“Just like that Michael. Breathe and calm yourself down.”_

 _“Professor I can’t!”_

 _“Yes you can, you’re doing it right now.”_

 _“But it doesn’t last for long and-”_

Mike shook his head, trying to get himself out of the headspace he was heading into. The memories helped calm him but they did nothing to stop the sorrow. The man associated with them, his mentor, his all-around _savior_ had been gone for years now, taken from this world entirely too soon and it hurt to think about the amusement in the professors eyes during their first training session. Mike couldn’t afford to be sad right now, maybe later, when he had a six-pack and time to lose himself in his memories. Not right now. Not when he had work to do. The buzzing was still there, and still black, very black, but it was better than before.

He breathed because sometimes that was the only thing he could do. 

“Must be nice to have time to take a nap.”

Mike opened his eyes and glared at Greg who was looking down at him.

“Fuck off.”

“Oooo touchy touchy, did I hurt your wittle feelings?” Greg cooed. “Awww look everyone, is little Ross gonna cry.”

“Greg I—” Mike stopped talking when the buzzing in his head changed into what sounded like someone screaming. _Shit._ Mike quickly put his highlighter down on the desk and searched for something to hold onto. This hadn’t happened to him in years but he knew the signs well enough by now and he was panicking because, fuck, this was going to happen in front of everyone.

“What? You aren’t going to do a damn….”

The annoying voice that belonged to his fellow associate faded out as the screaming gave way to the black that faded into color being painted on the canvas of his mind. He wasn’t sitting at his desk anymore, he was walking in the rain with his mama, being herded like cattle into the unknown, and he was terrified but trying to be brave for his mama.

Mike was pulled from this image and settled into a new one, he’s not in a line anymore but curled up in a bed that’s entirely too big for his twelve-year old self, though he’s still terrified because there’s a storm raging outside and mother won’t let him into her room. He’s convinced the monsters will try and get him and even his mind won’t be able to stop them.

There’s more running through his head, powerful memories of pain and sorrow so deep he might drown in it, of a thirst for revenge so great he might die if he doesn’t quench it. There’s the desire to protect his sister from their step-father, to protect his father’s legacy, to get the fuck out, happiness, learning, wisdom Mike only wishes he could gain someday. There’s warmth and cold.

There’s water. And he’s switching between the two figures in the water, the memory is so closely intertwined with the others that Mike doesn’t know; it’s like they’re one person, feelings of wonder and awe merged together so beautifully that it almost hurts. They aren’t alone, he’s not alone anymore, there’s someone here who can _do things_ like him. There’s someone here like him and his sister. Someone like him. Unrest. Peace. Revenge forgotten for the moment. Peace. Together. Oneness he hadn’t even thought capable of feeling.

The things they were going to do together if only they could get out of this water. The water that was very cold.

“Jesus kid, wake the fuck up!”

Mike startled when a hand knocked against his shoulder, groaned as he blinked and found that not only was there water there, he was lying on the floor with the entire office crowded around him. He tried to move, found that he couldn’t because two pairs of hands were holding him to the ground. He blinked again and found that Harvey’s face was right there and the two weights on his shoulders were most definitely Harvey’s hands. What was even more comical was the fact that right beside Harvey, _Louis_ was kneeling beside him with an expression akin to concern plastered across his face.

 “Mike can you hear me?”

Louis’s voice was soft and almost reassuring, Mike wanted to laugh but his head hurt to goddamn much. He nodded to the question and breathed in and out as he tried to figure out what the fuck had just happened with his powers.

“Good, that’s good, can you talk for us?” Harvey asked.

“Yes,” Mike replied even as his head throbbed because, fuck, coming out from an episode like that hurt. Shit. An episode like that hadn’t happened since he was a teenager and still trying to learn control on his powers. The last time had been because he had slipped too far into…fuck.

But that was impossible because Professor Xavier was gone and anyone that had any connection to him was up in Westchester with the institute or out of his range. Even then he was far too familiar with most of their memories; he knew that none of them had memories _like that_ floating around in their heads. No, memories like those, Mike knew one of the signatures almost as well as his own mind. The other one….the other was new but vaguely familiar. Mike thought he’d seen those memories before, somewhere, but he shook his head, time to think about that later. Right now he had to—

“Mike stay with us,” Harvey commanded as one of his hands came up to brush against his forehead. “No fever, did someone call the paramedics?”

“No,” Mike panicked at that word. He couldn’t have the paramedics here. They wouldn’t understand, they’d take him to the goddamned hospital and then he couldn’t do anything about what he had just seen. Mike wasn’t crazy nor was he tripped up on drugs. “No paramedics, I’m fine.”

“Mike, you just blacked out for a solid five minutes,” Louis leveled him with a look. “You need an ambulance and a doctor.”

“No,” Mike shook his head again and then wriggled out from Harvey’s touch. He felt exhausted and his frayed mind couldn’t do touch right now. It had been all right at first but now that he was more aware, Harvey’s hands were screaming ‘Hey read me!’ to his frazzled brain. The last thing Mike wanted was to violate Harvey like that. Mike also didn’t want the hospital, too many questions, too many people’s thoughts…thoughts.

An idea sprung into his head, Mike nearly grinned as he quickly moved to execute it, breathed and let his mind reach out to the only person who might know something right now.

 _Emma? I think I need to talk to you…now. I just felt something rather…impossible. I need to know if I’ m crazy or not._

There was a brief pause before Mike felt the familiar white edges surrounding his mind, ones that were usually tinged with fondness now covered in worry and awe.

 _You’re not crazy Wise Man. I felt it too. It’s…it’s him. Charles is back._

Mike stopped breathing for a minute.

“Mike you need to—”

Harvey froze midsentence, Mike watched as _everything and everyone_ in the office froze around him and he most certainly hadn’t done this. His pocket vibrated. He reached down and fished his phone out and hit accept with even looking at the screen because there was only (well now he supposed two)  but one person who would call him like this. He almost smiled as he brought the phone to his ear.

“I had to,” Emma said in lieu of a greeting. “I couldn’t risk us being overheard.”

“I understand,” Mike replied because she was right, this was the kind of thing that “normal” people shouldn’t overhear. He paused, when had he started that old thought process?

“The second you got those memories sugar,” Emma supplied and Mike cursed.

“Sometimes you suck,” he said. “But want to tell me what the fucking fuck is going on here?”


	2. Between the Haze

**Part 2: Between the Haze**

Haze. Fog. Confusion. He fought through them all with the anger that bubbled through his veins, fueling him to stand and straighten his clothes and look around. He was alone. He should have two others with him. He’d planned on it, trained for it, and now he was alone.

He hadn’t accounted for that goddamn telepath to be so strong. He hadn’t counted on such a fast response from him. He hadn’t been prepared for these things. He would rectify the situation.

He knew what to do now. He could react. He could fix this problem. He fished for his phone and pressed the number one.

“We have a problem. Meet me in fifteen.”

-

He felt Erik put a hand on front of him as he raised a hand to his temple and started to work on the minds of all of the people that had just seen two grown men appear out of nowhere. He was startled to realize that it was quite a lot of people and indiscriminately thankful for the fact that his powers could reach them all. It took him all of five minutes to erase the memories of them and replace it with the casual everyday bustle of life. When he’s sure it’s done and they are momentarily he safe he glanced at Erik.

“Any thoughts my friend?” Charles asked casually as he glanced around, they were surrounded by skyscrapers and so many people.

“Yes,” Erik replied. “That little shit tried to kill us.”

“Not kill, take us somewhere first,” Charles said. “At least that’s what I got from the brief glimpse into his mind before I was trying to steer us away from him.”

“But he was eventually going to kill us?” Erik asked, a pointed look aimed at Charles, who ran a hand through his hair as he frowned.

“From what I gathered yes it was his intention but I can’t imagine why,” he grumbled, a frown on his face. “We’d never met the man.”

“That was no man, he was a child, a very spoiled child,” Erik added as he looked around, nervous of all the people even if Charles was working his telepathy. “What do you suggest we do?”

“We should sit down, collect ourselves and try to figure out what happened,” Charles nodded towards a nearby bench.

“Or figure out exactly where we are.”

-

Mike was careful as he moved away from the crowd of still frozen coworkers and bosses alike, eyeing them as he stood up.

“They ain’t going anywhere honey,” Emma reassured him on the other end of the line.

“I know,” Mike chuckled, because really anyone who doubted Emma Frost’s power was crazy and probably about to have their asses kicked by her.

“Damn straight they are,” Emma told him. Mike laughed this time as he got away from the group, out into the hall, and proceeded to lean against the wall and breathe.

“So what do we need to do here?” Mike asked because from what he gathered Emma only knew a little bit more than he did.

“Are you up for a mission?” Emma asked after a minute. Mike sighed.

“You know I am,” he replied. “Tell me what you need.”

“More information, the kind that I can’t get without alerting Charles to the presence in his head,” Emma replied.

“Couldn’t you go into…Magneto’s head?” Mike asked.

“I…it’s complicated Wise Man,” she said after a minute. “What you saw…that’s not….it’s not Magneto. Not the one you know, not yet, at least that’s what I think.”

 “So what can I do?”

“Go and get them, Charles will love you and your do good ways,” Emma said. “I’ll guide you to them but after that you’re going to have to get them somewhere safe and…”

“You want me to go into their heads too?” Mike asked.

“Charles will be more inclined to let you rummage around in his head than he would me,” Emma breathed. “When you’re done I’ll get into your head, see what we’re dealing with and act accordingly.” 

“Alright,” Mike nodded because he had to do this, he had to help. He’d missed being able to help, to be involved in the other world he’d had to leave when his Gram had gotten sick. “I’ll get back into position on the floor, you let my co-workers out, and then you get into my head and guide me.”

“Let’s do this, and Wise Man?”

“Yeah Emma?”

“We’ve missed you too,” Emma told him. Mike smiled just a little as he hung up, pocketed his phone, and then walked back over to the frozen group and got back on the ground, underneath Harvey’s hands. Five seconds later everyone started moving again.

“Stay down,” Harvey said. “Donna can you please go threaten the paramedics?”

Mike forgot about the damn paramedics. Shit.

 _Not to worry, all taken care of for you._

Emma’s voice filtered into his head, Mike grinned and looked at Donna, was surprised to find her staring at him with her head cocked and a hand at her temple. He backed away; he’d analyze it later, when he didn’t have bigger things on his mind. He breathed in and pushed himself up from where Harvey was holding him down, stood, and shook his head.

“I’m fine,” he replied as he made himself stand up. “I just need some air…I’ll be back.”

“Mike wait, sit down!” Harvey yelled but Mike shook his head and walked towards the elevators, kept calm as people called his name, as the whispering started, as Donna kept eyeing him. He decided against waiting for the elevators and made a beeline for the stairs, faster and easier to avoid people.

He didn’t have any time to lose. 

-

  _Wise Man, I’m going to leave you now. Charles will sense me if I keep our connection. You know what you’re looking for right?_

Mike felt his heart stop when he glanced across the street and saw the two men from the memories that had assaulted him sitting on a bench, heads bent together, talking. He felt the barest whisper of Emma telling him goodbye but all he could seem to focus on was the fact that Charles Xavier, his teacher, his father figure, one of the people he trusted most in the world was right in front of him.

And he had hair.

Mike nearly choked when he saw that. The professor Xavier he knew certainly didn’t have hair, nor did he just sit on a bench. The only normal thing about this was the fact that the Professor was talking to Magneto, something that the two had constantly done despite the fact that they were on opposite ends of the battle. But this Magneto…he looked so much younger, happier, and was currently not looking at the professor but had turned his attentions across the street, his eyes right on him.

Fuck.

 _Not quite that. Come across and talk to us Michael._

Mike jumped when he heard the familiar voice filtering through his head. It had been so long since he’d last heard it and as he glanced across he found the Professor looking at him, his hand at his temple, mouth quirked into a confused smile. Mike couldn’t resist grinning back. He nodded and made his way to the crosswalk, waited a minute and then hurried over to where the Professor was sitting with a man that Mike had only seen in accidental glimpses of Xavier’s mind; Erik Lensherr in the flesh, glaring at him.

Good to know some things had carried over. Mike made himself look taller because he knew from those accidental pictures that Erik was a danger. Especially where Charles Xavier was concerned.

 “Erik, be nice,” Charles grumbled. “Michael was here looking for us.”

“I will not be nice when we were just taken from everything we know and put somewhere new. How do we know that he’s not working for the child that brought us here?”

“Erik,” Charles leveled him with a look. “If he were I would know. Now, Michael, you seem to know us, but we don’t know you.”

“No professor,” he spoke. “You don’t….at least…you don’t yet. I…”

“You’re a mutant!” Charles clapped his hands. Mike startled and glanced around and was never more grateful for the everyday bustle of the city and the fact that everyone minded their own business. “Fabulous. Erik he’s one of us.”

“Charming,” Erik bit out, though he looked more relaxed at the mention of the fact that Mike was like him.

“I am,” Mike replied. “And we should get out of here. We have a lot of things to figure out and I’m guessing not a lot of time to do it in. I know it’s asking a lot but could you—”

He stopped when Erik held a hand up and motioned across the street.

“We are no longer alone.”

Mike tensed and reached out with his own mind. He rolled his eyes when he felt familiar memories creep into his head.

“Can’t mind his own goddamned business,” he grumbled as he turned his head and found that Harvey was standing on the opposite side of the street, arms crossed over his chest, staring at him. Mike glared at him in return because he really didn’t need this right now. There were more important matters at hand.

“You know him?” Charles asked, hand at his temple. Mike nodded.

“My boss,” Mike rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m afraid he’s too inquisitive for his own good sometimes.”

“He’s not a mutant?” Erik asked. Charles shook his head.

“No but he seems rather angry at Michael here.”

“Call me Mike Professor.”

“Then you shall call me Charles,” Charles told him. “I feel odd being addressed as Professor when I haven’t taught you anything.”

Mike bit out a laugh.

“Pro-Charles, Erik, we need to take cover and figure some things out. I promise you I’m not out to get you, Charles can verify.”

“His intentions are pure, he came to find us though I’m curious as to how you knew where we were.”

“It comes with my powers,” Mike responded. “That I’ll be happy to tell you about when we aren’t out in the open like this.”

“He’s right Charles, we should go,” Erik nodded. “In case the little nitwit who brought us here comes back with friends.”

“And where are we to go?” Charles asked Mike. Mike glanced back at Harvey who was now tapping his foot impatiently.

“My office building. It’s close and it’ll be easy for the others to get there,” Mike said. Both Charles and Erik stood.

“Lead the way,” Charles told him. Mike nodded and cocked his head to the crosswalk. The three of them raced across the street and were met by Harvey’s stare.

“Would you care to explain why you walked out of the office after you passed out?” Harvey asked.

“No,” Mike replied, Harvey’s eyes widened, his eyebrow rose, but Mike wouldn’t back down from this. It was about more than Harvey and a case this time around. It might very well be about the fate of the world. It probably was, if Charles and Erik were here. “But I need to borrow your office.”

“Because that’s going to make me say yes,” Harvey snorted. Mike felt a prickle in his head and glanced back at Charles who had his hand half raised to his temple. He shook his head in response to the gesture and turned back to Harvey.

“Harvey I can’t explain this to you right now because it’s more than just me,” Mike told him and he prayed this next part would work so he wouldn’t have to use more persuasive methods with his boss. Harvey was someone he avoided. “So I need you to trust me and come back to the firm and let me use your office.”

“This isn’t the place to deal with it anyway. Let’s go,” Harvey grumbled.

“Follow me,” Mike nodded to Charles and Erik. 


	3. Alert

**Part Three: Alert**

Mike was grateful for the silence as they all rode the elevator, though he could feel Harvey’s eyes boring into him. Mike just shot his boss/mentor/friend looks that begged him not to ask questions that Mike honestly couldn’t answer. Erik and Charles seemed to be immersed in their own silent conversation, something that Mike knew was normal from the stories he’d coaxed out of Alex as a child.

“You know Alex Summers?” Charles broke the silence, Erik clucked in response.

“Charles you mustn’t go into people’s heads all the time, it’s rude.”

“It’s alright Erik,” Mike was mildly worried that he liked this younger version of someone he was supposed to distrust but he appreciated the honesty and the no nonsense attitude. “You get used to it and it’s not like I haven’t gone into Charles’ mind.”

“You have?” Erik was interested now. “Are you like him?”

“Like him how?” Harvey asked, eyes darting between all three of them, Mike sighed and shook his head.

“Not quite, my powers are different,” he offered, ready to explain more, but then the elevator doors dinged and they were on the floor that led to Harvey’s office. Mike closed his mouth and nodded to go out, sent a warning look to Harvey before they all stepped out of the elevator. Mike led the way down the hall and when he found it empty he was more than a little sure that Charles was weaving his own powers to keep it that way. They avoided everyone on the normally busy floor until they reached Donna.

Mike expected her to eye him critically, he did not expect her mouth to drop open at the sight of the two men following him nor did he expect to hear her sharp intake of breath as a hand covered her still open mouth. He glanced back to find that Harvey was eying his assistant curiously and that Charles just looked full on delighted to see her. Erik looked torn between amusement and exasperation.

Holy fuck Donna was a mutant and she had her head cocked at him now, and yep she had pieced it together about him as well.

“Harvey I need to talk to you for a minute, now, non-negotiable,” Donna informed their boss as she shot Mike a warning look. He nodded, though they’d talk later. He had more important things to worry about right now; like the fact that Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr had filed into the office. Mike watched as Harvey stopped to talk to his assistant before he closed the office door and drew the ceiling to floor black curtains around the glass. 

“I’m not sure how long we have,” Mike turned to them. “So I’m going to need to ask one of you to let me do something.”

“Do what?” Erik asked suspiciously, Charles held a hand up.

“This wouldn’t have something to do with your powers would it?” he asked. “We never did find out what they were.”

“I…I can see into people’s pasts,” Mike explained. “Their memories, emotions, I see it all.”

“And that’s useful how?” Erik asked, Mike crossed his arms over his chest defensively. This may be the man that would someday drive fear into the minds of the Professor’s school but he wasn’t there yet. Mike wasn’t scared of Erik Lensherr and he might even admit to a little respect for his blunt questions.

“Erik I don’t think that—”

“No Charles it’s alright,” Mike focused his attention solely on Erik. “My powers are actually very useful because people can’t hide their memories. They can bury them but they don’t disappear. I’ll find them and see them and if I’m so inclined I will leave them there.”

Erik looked properly chastised even as Charles’s eyes lit up.

“Fascinating,” Charles murmured. “Your powers must be incredibly _useful_ when you want information. You see someone’s past….I wonder if your powers were developed enough…could you see the future?”

“No I just deal with memories,” Mike ran a hand through his hair. __

“Groovy,” Charles winked. “Erik do you have something to say?”

“I won’t apologize for wondering,” Erik told him. “But I will say that your powers are incredibly interesting. Now what did you want to do to us with them?”

“I was wondering if one of you would let me venture into your heads,” Mike replied. “Normally I’m not so intrusive but…clearly things are different,” he gestured to their clothes as well as their appearances. “And we need answers sooner rather than later.”

“You can go into mine,” Charles told him. Erik made a sound beside him.

“Charles no, you can’t simply let someone we just met into your head, your memories like that, it’s foolish and dangerous and—”

“Erik, I agree but Michael is right, we do not have the time to chit chat. Besides,” Charles turned a smile onto Mike. “I don’t think this will be his first trip into my head will it?”

“No,” Mike chuckled. “When I first came to you…you were the one that taught me how to….control what I could do. The only one that really could because I was kind of….really close to going crazy at eleven with all of these things in my head that weren’t mine.”

“Eleven? Really? Your powers manifested that early?” Charles asked, eyes alight. “Of course it’s been known to happen,” he gestured to himself and Erik, who grimaced. 

“I…when I was eleven I was in a car accident with my parents,” Mike replied quietly. “They didn’t make it…you….you and Dr. McCoy think that the trauma of the accident and then losing them jolted something in me, which made them manifest earlier than normal. You came to get me about a month after the fact which…thanks in advance. You probably saved my life.”

 “I’m sure you would do the same for us,” Charles responded. Mike smiled.

“I’d do it for you in a heartbeat Professor,” Mike replied as he gestured to the couch. “Now let’s see what brought you to twenty-eleven.”

Charles took a seat as Mike joined him.

“What do you need from me?”

“It’ll help if you can try and isolate the past few hours for me,” Mike told him. “That way I’m not routing around in your head for longer than necessary. Also, I need to ask you to try and keep yourself out of my head.”

“Secrets you don’t want to share?” Erik asked suspiciously. Mike rolled his eyes.

“Things about this time that you shouldn’t know,” he countered. Erik opened his mouth to speak but closed it and sent a look to Charles. Mike nearly rolled his eyes again but stopped when Charles sent what could only be deemed as an early version of his ‘professor look’ towards him. Early version, but still just as effective at getting him to quiet down.

“I can adhere to that, I’ve seen enough of your mind to know that you mean us no harm. I’ll do my best to keep out, but I trust that there might be some overflow?” Charles asked.

“Maybe,” Mike answered. “I’m usually pretty good at blocking it but your mind is also a lot stronger than everyone else.”

“Let’s begin then, I’m quite intrigued by your power,” Charles looked like a child on Christmas morning and Mike couldn’t help but chuckle. “Erik will you…”

“The door is being guarded.”

“Then take a breath and let me in,” Mike concentrated. It didn’t take long for him to feel the surface of Charles’ memories calling to him. Usually if it hit this point Mike resisted the pull but now he just let himself get sucked down.

 _Mike blinked and glanced around, he knew this room, he knew those bookshelves, had borrowed from them many times. But the place looked less lived in right now, dark instead of warm and safe. He felt like it needed some life now that there were people in the house again._

 _“Charles.”_

 _He turned and felt a jolt of warmth rush through him at the sight of Erik standing in the doorway to the study with the car keys floating in front of him._

 _“So you’ve changed your mind my friend?”_

 _“You’re sure that you felt the presence of another mutant close by?”_

 _“Positive,” Charles responded. “Cerebro widened my range before we came here and I can feel this mutant.”_

 _“Then we go and find them.”_

 _“Now?”_

 _“No in two weeks,” Erik teased, he smiled at the fondness in his tone. “Yes now, the children will be fine here for a few hours.”_

 _“It’s not the children I’m worried about,” Charles countered. “It’s if we’ll have a home to come back to.”_

 _“Come, we’ll threaten them with chores before we go.”_

Mike almost laughed at the way Erik said it, looking ridiculously domestic in ways that he didn’t know were possible for him before he felt the memory slip way to reveal another.

 _They approached the front of the house cautiously and knocked. Only an hour away from the house and the children within it, possibly adding one more to the mix before the day was done. He was grateful to have Erik with him in this, he wasn’t sure he could do it all alone._

 _“Yes?”_

 _Charles nearly jumped when he was confronted with a man of no more than thirty standing in front of him, with brown hair and red eyes, menacing as his arms crossed in front of him and a smirk appeared on his face._

 _“Hello my name is Charles X-”_

 _“Oh I know who you are Xavier, and you too Lensherr,” the man’s smirk turned into something sisnister. “My name is Jupiter. You two are the reason I’m back in this god awful time. So glad you got my message. Now…let’s take a trip. Things to do, events to prevent. Come along, come along.”_

 _Before either Erik or Charles could react there was a hand on each of their shoulders. The only thing Charles could do was send his mind into his, try to counter as they both slipped into the black._

Mike felt the edges of the memories fade. He was about to pull himself out completely when he felt himself start to trickle into something that tasted like copper and ash and no…he couldn’t no not this not now.

 _It was cold, so cold, and he couldn’t see anything. His head hurt a lot._

 _“Mommy?”_

He forced himself and Charles out of the memory and away from each other. He heard a gasp, he ignored it in favor of keeping his eyes closed and willing the despair to go away.

“Charles!”

Footsteps, there was someone next to them, Mike took a deep breath.

“What in god’s name did he do to you?”

“Nothing, he didn’t do a thing Erik,” Charles’s voice was soft and suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright Mike, you can come back now. You did well, bringing us out before it got too bad.”

“I…I did warn you,” Mike sighed as he wiped his eyes and opened them to focus on Charles and Erik. “I’m sorry. No one should have to see that.”

“I suspect that I already have,” Charles squeezed his shoulder. “Did you get what you needed?”

“Enough of it,” Mike said. “At least we have a starting place.”

“I must say that your powers are extraordinary,” Charles looked at Erik. “It’s so different than my own.”

“Powers? Mike…what the hell is going on here?”

All three of them shared a look and turned towards the doorway and saw Harvey standing there, arms crossed, eyes trained on Mike as Donna glanced at them all, worry in her eyes. Erik cursed in some other language.

“Mike? What did he mean powers?”

“He doesn’t know?” Charles murmured. Mike shook his head. 

“He’s about to find out,” he replied before he looked at Harvey. “Come in, close the door, and sit down. I’ll explain…after I make a call.”

“You will—”

Mike held one hand up as the other went to fish his phone out with the other.

“Believe it or not Harvey there are more important things in this world than you and your needs so please come into your office, sit down, and I will explain in a minute. _After I make a call._ ”

Harvey glared at him and Mike met the look with one of his own. He was so used to backing down but right now he was right, things were being set in motion, shit had gone down, and when it came to mutants that usually meant that the world was in jeopardy. He had to follow through with the initial plan. Harvey huffed but did as requested but made sure to sit at his desk.  Mike kept a close eye on him, could feel Erik and Charles doing the same thing as he punched the speed dial on his phone.

“What is that?” Erik asked. Mike snorted.

“The beauty of technology,” he replied as he put the phone up to his ear and set about blocking his mind as Harvey glared and Emma answered the phone.

“Successful?”

“I have them,” Mike replied carefully. “They’re in the room with my boss and I.”

“I see,” Emma responded. “Prognosis Wise Man?”

“Does the year 1962 mean anything to you?”

“Fuck me,” Emma muttered. 

“So I was right,” Mike nodded. “We’re fucked?”

“Probably, I don’t want to risk going into your head with Charles there. Storm, Logan, and I are assembling a team to come get you all right now,” she replied. “You’re good to come?”

“I’m already involved,” Mike replied. “You know I’m in.”

“Good. Still have your communicator?”

“Never leave home without it. Just have to rescue it from my desk.”

“I’ll have one of the guys buzz you when they get there. Stay safe.”

The line cut off and Mike sighed as he put his phone back in his pocket. He looked at Charles and Erik first.

“We’re going to figure this out. Some friends are coming to get us right now,” he replied before he turned to Harvey.

“Friends?” Erik asked. “What friends?”

“You’ll see,” Mike assured. “They’re like us.”

“If someone could please tell me what us is that would be fantastic,” Harvey scoffed. Mike sighed; he always kept his powers a secret, even from Trevor, from Jenny, the only person that knew about them was Gram. It wasn’t because he was ashamed but because it kept him safer. The world was still filled with people who hated mutants and if Mike wanted to be a valuable member of the team then it was necessary. But it seemed that he had no choice but to tell Harvey now.

“You don’t have to tell him anything,” Charles comforted. “I can…you just don’t.”

“He also shouldn’t have to hide,” Erik interrupted. “He should be proud of who he is.”

“I am proud of who I am,” Mike aimed a look at Erik. “It’s always been safer to keep them to myself though. It’s not just about me. It’s about a lot of people I care about.”

“What are you hiding from me?” Harvey asked, this time he stood, Mike did the same thing and held a hand out to stop Charles and Erik from moving. He took a deep breath, glanced at the closed door, and gave Harvey the most serious of looks.

“I’m a mutant.”

-

Silence echoed. Harvey openly stared at him, mouth agape, and if this were any situation Mike would be laughing at the fact that he had made Harvey Specter speechless. But this wasn’t any other situation, this was just nerve wracking.

“A mutant? You’re a…mutant?” Harvey rolled the word over his tongue, Mike felt Erik step closer to him, looked towards the older man and found him standing tall and proud, eyes trained on Harvey.

“Yes,” Mike replied. “I’m a mutant.”

“And you….all of you,” Harvey motioned to the three of them, and now Mike could feel Charles shift his own stance. “Are mutants.”

“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” Erik asked. 

“I…you….you’re a mutant.”

“Yes Harvey we’ve established that,” Mike understood that finding out that your employee was a mutant and had been hiding it from you for the better part of a year was difficult to process but he had hoped that Harvey and his quick mind would have done so by now. Harvey leveled him a look, one of shock and hurt mixed together.

“You didn’t tell me that you were a mutant,” Harvey told him.

“No, I don’t tell a lot of people about my gifts,” Mike responded.

“Gifts,” Harvey muttered as he sat down and ran a hand against the back of his neck before his eyes were back on Mike. “Your memory?”

“Something like that,” Mike responded.

“Explain,” Harvey ordered.

“He doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to,” Erik cut into their exchange.

“On the contrary he does, I’m his boss and he’s been keeping a pretty big fucking secret from me so I can—” Harvey stopped talking when the stapler on his desk rose up and started to spin right in front of him. Mike glanced at Erik to find him smirking.

“Erik stop,” Charles ordered. “The man’s just in shock and as he said Mike has been keeping this from him. Stop.”

“Please,” Mike told him. “I can handle him. His bark is worse than his bite.”

Erik gave Charles a long suffering look before the stapler found its way back onto the desk, but stayed right in front of Harvey. Mike breathed a sigh of relief because he was in no way prepared to fight with Erik Lensherr of all people. Charles gave him an odd look; Mike shook his head and turned his attentions back to Harvey.

“Harvey I…”

“Harvey.”

Everyone turned to find that Donna was in the doorway with _Louis_ of all people, both looking more than a little shaken.

“Not now,” Harvey told them. “Donna,” he said when the two didn’t budge. “I said no interruptions. Louis we’re busy.”

“Jessica wants to see us,” Louis told him. Harvey looked at Donna who nodded.

“The call just came in. I was coming to get you when Louis came barging up. She said it was urgent,” Donna told him. Harvey glared at Louis and Donna, they held their ground, Mike was left to wonder about the part that Louis played in all of this. “I know what you said Harvey but it’s Jessica.”

There was silence as Harvey looked at Mike and then to Donna and Louis before he sighed and stood.

“Fine,” he buttoned his jacket. “Keep an eye on our guests, don’t let them leave. Mike we’ll be having words later.”

“Right,” Mike nodded as Harvey left the room, Louis hot on his heels, bickering about how awesome he was. Donna waited until he was out of earshot before she looked at all of them.

“Go while you can, Louis will only distract him for so long,” she instructed.

“Donna…” Mike trailed off but she shook her head and held her hand out, where his communicator was blinking. She tossed it to him; he caught it, flipped it open and brought it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Wise Man we’re cloaked on the roof ready and waiting for all of you,” Sean’s voice came through and Mike had never been so relieved. “It’s just Alex and I…everyone else thought that it’d be easiest given what we’re working with here.”

“Right, we’ll be up in a minute,” he promised before he hung up and pocketed the device as he glanced at Donna. “You’re…”

“I have some psychic abilities,” she replied before she gave the professor a fond smile. “That you tried to help me with when I was younger.”

“Really?” Charles frowned. “Tried?”

“I never went to your school but you were always ready to help if I ever called, Mike,” Donna looked at him. “You need to go before Harvey comes back. I’ll….I can’t promise anything on this front but…”

“No I get it,” he told her before he nodded towards Charles and Erik. He walked to the door way, glanced at her and chuckled. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“What?”

“I knew you had to have some sort of magic,” he told her, she winked at him.

“Go,” she instructed with a slight push towards the hall. “All of you. I’ll do my best to throw him off of your trail.”

“You’re my goddess,” Mike said as he walked out and gestured to Charles and Erik. Erik followed readily, but Charles paused. Donna raised her eyebrow.

“It was nothing you did,” she told him. “I just didn’t see myself there. You were always willing to help me though. So thank you.”

“I don’t know what I’ve done to warrant it,” Charles replied, Donna smiled at him.

“Not yet but you will,” she replied. “Treasure your time here, you’ll need it.”

“Charles,” Erik interrupted, Donna flashed eyes on him, he paused.

“You need to go,” she said. “Our boss will come back and even I won’t be able to rescue you. Go. Mike,” she looked at him. “It’s time to look where you fear the most.”

“Donna?”

“I can’t tell you more just…good luck,” she said. Mike wanted to ask her more, wanted to know what she knew but a quick glance down the hall had him realizing that they had to go and now. He did give her a nod before he glanced at Charles and Erik.

“Let’s take the stairs,” he suggested. “We can—”

“Run if we have to,” Erik nodded. “You’ve been taught well.”

“I had great teachers,” Mike grinned at Charles who sent him a smile in return.

“Lead the way my friend, I’m anxious to see the reinforcements you’ve brought.”


	4. Loose-Limbed

**Part Four: Loose-Limbed**

Mike breathed in the smell of the city as he opened the door to the roof and stepped outside. It was hot, muggy, and empty.

“It seems your ‘friends’ have left us,” Erik observed as he followed Mike out with Charles hot on their heels. Mike just turned back and gave the metal bender a smirk as the door closed behind them. Erik raised his eyebrow.

“Erik, you should know that there’s more than meets the eye,” Charles scolded as his fingers went to his temple, a smile ghosted against his face. “I can sense some very familiar friends indeed though…they’re confused.”

“We’re all a little confused,” Mike muttered before he called out. “Anytime you guys.”

“I still see—” Erik stopped talking and Mike may or may not have grinned at the look of slack jawed shock that appeared on both men’s faces as the new and improved X-Jet let the cloaking device it employed fall away. “That is…”

“It’s like Hank’s design only…”

“Charles we are in the year twenty-eleven, it’ll be different than nineteen sixty,” Mike told him as the bay doors opened to reveal a very blonde head of hair standing there in the black suit, eyes widening by the second as he took in Mike and who was beside him. Seconds later the engines to the jet cut off and Sean’s flaming red hair joined Alex’s, his face looking every bit like a fish as he joined in the staring contest.

“Come on, let’s get closer,” Mike nodded towards the doors and the two men, Erik moved to follow, but Charles was frozen on the spot, a frown on his face as he stared at Sean and Alex.

“What’s wrong?” Erik asked. “It is only Sean and Alex.”

“They’re in shock…they…seem to have a great distrust towards…”

“Professor!”

Sean ran down the ramp and towards them at a lightning fast speed, which spurred Alex out of his reverie to do the same. The two were in front of them in an instant, staring at their group in shock. Sean practically launched himself at Charles in a bear hug. Charles startled but was quick to return the gesture.

“It’s good to see you too Sean,” Charles replied as he patted him on the back and held his other hand out to Alex. Alex didn’t even bat an eye as he grasped it and squeezed. “And you Alex. My how you’ve grown.”

“The years will do that to you,” Alex replied as he released the hand he’d been grasping and then shot Mike a grin. “Wise Man been awhile, Kitty is dying to see you.”

“It’ll be good to see her,” Mike replied. “Been too long Havok.”

“Wise Man!”

Sean launched himself at Mike next, he caught the redhead and squeezed.

“Banshee,” he laughed. “I’ve missed you too.”

“Oh we have so much to catch you up on,” Sean replied. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Good to be back.”

“Is no one going to greet me?” Erik asked as Sean pulled away from him. At that, both Alex and Sean froze, shot nervous looks towards each other and then looked at Charles, who had a frown about him again. “Last time I checked we were all one team.”

“You don’t trust him,” Charles told them. “How can you not trust him? Erik has been more than loyal to us and…”

“Professor,” Alex stopped him. “It’s best if we don’t talk about this here. Let’s get on the jet and head back to the school. I know it’s asking a lot.”

“Trust us we do,” Sean added in. “But we need you to trust us this time around. All three of you can come with us and we’ll figure it out there.”

“I…”

“We should go,” Erik interrupted, which surprised Mike because what little he knew of the man had him prepared to fight him to get onto the jet.

“Erik?”

“I want to know why they don’t trust me, they won’t speak of it here but I do still trust them, it’s logical that we go with them,” Erik replied. “Lead the way and Wise Man?”

“I like it,” Mike responded before he looked at Sean. “I know you probably flew but can I take over?”

“Oh thank god,” Alex moaned as he started to walk towards the jet. “I thought that I was going to die several times over when he was co-piloting. You’d think that being able to fly in real life would translate but…”

“Where is Hank?” Charles asked. “This is his design shouldn’t he be the one flying it?”

“He’s waiting at the school,” Alex responded. “Some changes have happened professor. We thought it best to send Sean and I and then explain everything when we get back.”

“I…see,” Charles nodded. “Very well, let’s go.”

Mike headed towards the jet with everyone else, eager to strap back in and fly the beautiful piece of machinery. He’d trained to fly it on missions but then his grandmother’s illness had called him away from the team, away from the people he knew and cared about as much as his gram. He breathed in and the weight of the law firm lifted as he headed towards the cockpit and ran his hands over the seat. Alex slapped a pair of gloves into his hands as he came up to the co-pilot seat, which left Sean to help Erik and Charles get settled in.

“Still remember what we taught you?”

Mike just grinned as he shed his jacket, rolled his sleeves up, put the gloves on, sat down, and strapped himself in. He placed the headset on and heard Dr. McCoy’s dulcet tones lingering.

“Sean I swear if you break this jet I will kill you with my feet and—”

“Dr. McCoy, don’t worry, this is Mike and I’m taking over for Banshee,” Mike told him as he started to flip switches, heard the engine start to roar to life alongside the doctors sigh of relief.

“Thank god, I literally broke the chair when I was helping them fly to Pearson Hardman, you still remember?”

“As if I could forget,” Mike scoffed as the lights in the cabin dimmed.

“We’re ready back here!” Sean called.

“Alright Beast, we’re about to head up,” Alex spoke into his headset. “Wise Man here has got us.”

“Monitoring your progress from here, see you soon, Beast out,” Dr. McCoy responded. Alex looked at Mike and smirked.

 “Good to be back?” he asked.

“You have no idea,” Mike told him as he placed his hands on the controls and pushed up and in. The jet lifted off of the ground and he started to take it up into the skies. “It feels like I’m coming home.”

-

She monitored her experiments on the laptop carefully and frowned because the results were not what she had hoped for. Things weren’t moving fast enough for her liking, which meant that they weren’t fast enough for his liking. She glanced at her shelves of chemicals and grinned. Nothing a little experimentation couldn’t take care of.

The door banged open. She turned to yell at who would dare interrupt and disturb her when she was working, but she closed her mouth when she saw the dark suit and accompanied by the face that was dark with anger and disappointment as he approached her.

“What happened?” she asked as she glanced behind him and found that he only had their two associates, Hallie and Crypto with him and not the two prisoners she had been expecting. “Where are Xavier and Lensherr?”

“Nike. If I knew that I wouldn’t be here,” he responded coolly. “You failed me. You didn’t prepare me.”

“Prepare you for what?” she asked.

“To defend myself against a fucking telepath,” he hissed. “You told me that Xavier would be excited to meet another mutant. You said that he and Lensherr would be too stunned to react when I pulled them forward. Instead, he buffered himself against my attack!”

“You left them in the past?” she asked.

“No, they’re somewhere in this fucking time but not with me where they should be. Where you promised they’d be!”

“You knew he was powerful,” she pointed a finger at him as Hallie screeched from behind her.

“Bossman is angry,” Hallie told her as a ball of light started to form in her hand. “Angry with you because you failed.

“Very angry,” Crypto added as he started to glow green. Nike backed away, ready to call on her own armor is need be.

“Are you really going to let them threaten me Jupiter?” she asked. “Your own family, your own kind.”

“I’m sorely tempted,” he snarled as he approached her. “You failed me. I don’t like failure.”

“Jupiter,” she soothed. “Nephew, it’s not failure. It’s merely a small setback. We knew there might be some. We’ll fix this. Out plans will come to fruition. Or will you give up on your vengeance?”

“Never,” he told her. “I will avenge what those two have done to mutants and to me. You will continue your experiments,” he ordered even as he let Hallie push a chemical off of a shelf and onto the floor. “Crypto, we have planning to do. Summon Calypso to the war room. Hallie take Vane and head near Westchester. That’s where the two of them are bound to head.”

“Understood,” Hallie nodded as she turned and swayed her hips to walk out of the door, making sure to push another jar down along the way.

“As you wish,” Crypto bowed before he disappeared in a flurry of green light and a maniacal smirk aimed her way.

“Work faster Aunty,” Jupiter warned. “Or I’ll break my rules about not hurting my own kind.”

-

To say that Harvey was annoyed was an understatement. The meeting with Jessica and Louis had been a complete joke, filled with Louis bitching and moaning about pointless things. He had wasted fifteen precious minutes of his time, time he could have spent trying to figure out just who the hell his associate was. When it came to Mike, he had always just thought of him as a rookie who’d gotten a bad break in life and then taken that break as a way to make bad choices. But now he was not only crazy smart but also a mutant.  

Harvey was angry that he had kept it from him and needed more answers to the countless questions that had popped up since learning of the secret. He intended to get answers before the day had ended. Harvey reached Donna’s desk with that thought in mind but stopped when he caught her standing and talking to _Louis_ of all people. He stepped closer to hear her hushed tones.

“I don’t know what’s wrong, something just…I felt something and now this?”

“I know,” Louis put a comforting hand on Donna’s shoulder. “But they’re in good hands now. We need to have faith and just keep an eye out.”

“Donna.”

Both Donna and Louis jumped and turned to look at Harvey, who glanced past them and into his empty office.

“Where did Mike and his…friends go?”

“They left,” Donna responded. Harvey shot her a hard look that she met head on.

“I told you to keep them here while I was gone.”

“I couldn’t,” Donna replied.

“Did they threaten you?” he asked.

“Of course not,” she rolled her eyes.

“Then why did you let them go?”

“Because she had to,” Louis responded for her. Harvey shot him a look and was surprised when he just shook his head.

“Why?”

“Harvey,” Donna sighed and glanced at Louis. “I wish I could tell you more but you just need to know that I had to. It wasn’t safe for them to be here.”

“Safe? Do you think that I’d hurt Mike? Or his friends?” Harvey asked, she shook her head.

“No but there are plenty of other people that would,” Louis muttered. “Believe it or not there are more important things in the world than your needs.”

“And Mike is part of them right now,” Donna added. “You need to back off.”

“He just left in the middle of the workday,” Harvey told her. “I want him back in here.”

“I said he could and he’s turned his phone off,” Louis told him.

“He’s not allowed to be unreachable,” Harvey tried to protest. “He’s an associate, _my associate_ , he’s always on call.”

“Harvey,” Donna walked over to him and put her hand on his arm. “Stop trying. You need to let it go for now.”

“I’ll give you Kyle for as long as Mike is gone,” Louis offered. “I’ll go inform him now.”

He walked away then, Harvey looked at Donna who shook her head.

“You know what’s going on,” he accused, she winced.

“Some of it,” she told him. “And no I won’t tell you. It’s…better if you don’t know. If Mike comes back then he can tell you himself.”

“If?” Harvey asked with a sudden sinking feeling in his chest because Donna looked serious about her statement. If was a pretty big statement and it didn’t settle well with him.

“You have a meeting in an hour and a new associate to prep,” she motioned towards Kyle who approached looking equal parts excited and terrified. Harvey straightened, buttoned his suit jacket, and nodded.

“Fine, send him in here, give him a hard time,” he instructed as he pushed thoughts of Mike out of his mind for the moment, he did have a job to do. Donna smirked.

“I always do.”

-

 _“What is this place?”_

 _“A safe haven for people like us where you can learn to use your powers without fear.”_

 _“I don’t have to hide here?”_

 _“No, you’re safe. I promise. Welcome home Michael.”_

The memory washed through him as the house where he’d spent most of his childhood came into view as they descended. Mike remembered the day more so than others that constantly ran through his head because it had been the first time since the car accident that he’d felt safe. It had been the first time where no one expected him to breakdown or looked at him with pity in their eyes.

“You ok?”

Mike glanced over to find Alex peering at him. He nodded.

“Just…memories,” he replied.

“Good or bad?”

“Right now good,” Mike responded. “This place has always had good memories though. I’ve missed it.”

“We’ve missed you too,” Alex told him before he pressed a button beside him. “Hanger bay doors are opening.”

“Dr. McCoy, are we clear for a landing?”

“Honestly call me Hank and yes you’re clear, I’ll meet you in the bay with the others.”

“Copy that,” Mike turned to glance back at Sean who looked content, and then at Charles and Erik who looked more than a little surprised and exhilarated. “Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle, we’re heading into home.”

The landing was effortless; the jet seemed to remember Mike as much he remembered the long hours Hank had spent teaching him how to fly it. It really was like riding a bike, except faster, shinier, and easier to evade governments, alien species, and enemies in. The coolers went on the second he settled the jet in the bay and turned it off. Alex let out a whoop and reached over to punch him on the shoulder.

“Now that is how we fly the X-Jet Sean,” Alex called back. “Nice and smooth without doing barrel rolls if we can help it.”

“Oh bite me Havok! Wise Man has done barrel rolls and much worse!”

“To be fair,” Mike said as he undid his harness and removed his headpiece, pressed a button on his chair and then carefully placed the communication device in its protective casing before it disappeared. “I was in training exercises and then avoiding the Australian government.”

“You were avoiding a foreign government?” Charles asked, Mike looked at Alex who just shrugged.

“It was the first mission they let me on and we just ran into a little trouble,” Mike replied. “It’s alright, no one remembers a thing.”

“You can erase memories as well?” Erik asked.

“Alter,” Mike shrugged. “There’s a difference.”

“How so?”

“Altering is easier than erasing,” Charles responded. Mike nodded as he stood, stretched and then turned to look at Alex and then Sean.

“You two are leaders on this one,” he said.

“Right,” Alex took a breath, shared a look with Sean, and then they bother looked at Charles and Erik. “Obviously you’re from an earlier time and it’s best if we wait for everyone before we figure out how the hell that happened but there are some things you should know.”

“We’re going to be met on the bay by the rest of the X-Men at the mansion,” Sean began. “You only know Hank and….he’s different than how you remembered.”

“Of course he’s different, it’s been years,” Erik commented, Alex looked ready to say something but Sean shot him another look.

“They mean he’s going to be very different,” Charles told Erik quietly. “His mutation has…evolved.”

“That’s a good way to put it,” Sean nodded. “We just wanted to warn you before we get out there. Are you two ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Charles replied. “The minds out there seem excited.”

“They would be,” Alex smiled before he pressed a button on the wall. The bay doors to the jet opened and the ramp slid out automatically. “Mike, you go first so you can be properly accosted by your crew. We’ll flank the professor and Erik.

Mike gave a mock salute and then ducked out before Alex could do anything. He walked down the ramp and was immediately greeted with a group of seven people. There was silence for all of one minute before Kitty squealed and launched herself at him. Mike caught her with a laugh and hugged her tightly.

“Oh my god I’ve missed you so much!” she whispered in his ear as she squeezed him.

“Missed you too Shadowcat,” he murmured as she pulled away and gestured to everyone else. Mike grinned when he saw Bobby and Peter standing there with matching grins on their faces. He approached and gave them each one armed hug. Back in the day the three of them had been inseparable.

“Good to have you back Wise Man,” Bobby told him.

“Kitty’s been bouncing since Storm told us you were tagging along,” Peter threw her an affectionate smile and Mike cocked his head at Kitty, who merely ducked her head and mouthed ‘later’.

“Where’s Rogue?”

“She’s upstairs with the kids,” Bobby replied. “We’ll steal her later.”

“It’s good to see you again Mike,” Dr. McCoy told him with a grin.

 “It’s good to be back,” Mike responded. “She handles like a dream,” he gestured to the jet.

“Thank you for taking over,” Storm interjected as she came over and hugged him. “I thought Hank was going to have a heart attack when Sean took the wheel.”

“Don’t worry, Alex and I got her home safely,” Mike responded as she released and eyed him critically. “Yes?”

“Fake lawyering? Drugs? Trevor?”

“I….ummm…there’s a really great story behind it,” Mike tried to defend; Storm didn’t look amused even if the others were chortling behind him. “And it’s not fake, I’ve passed the bar exam. I just…didn’t go to Harvard.”

“I don’t even…”

“So you’re a delinquent now?” Logan asked as he approached and held his hand out. Mike shook it and matched his feral grin.

“You had to rub off on me somehow,” he retorted. Logan snorted.

“You’ve gotten better; sure you’re up for the shit storm that’s probably headed our way?”

“And let you guys have all the fun?” Mike looked at everyone and smirked. “Not a chance in hell. Besides you’re going to need everyone on board for this.”

“Yes! Team’s back together!”

Bobby and Peter high fived as Kitty launched herself at him again. Mike felt warmer than he had in ages.

“Speaking of team….look,” Hank pointed to where Charles and Erik approached with Alex and Sean. “Jesus it’s really them…oh my god.”

“Hank?” Charles asked as they stopped in front of the group.

“I…yes…it’s me,” Hank said as he glanced down at himself, dressed in a suit of all things. “I…guess I look a little different don’t I?”

“Yes you do,” Charles replied as he looked him over, blue fur and all, Mike watched with interest as Erik approached Hank and held his hand out.

“It’s a good look on you McCoy.”

Hank startled and looked down at Erik’s hand, a hard look entering his eye as he stared at the other man. Erik noticed and froze for a moment before he withdrew his hand.

“Is there a problem?” Erik asked him quietly.

“There are a whole hell of a lot of them,” Logan growled. “He shouldn’t be here.”

“And where was he supposed to go?” Alex asked. “We couldn’t just leave the nineteen sixty-three version of Erik Lensherr on the streets on Manhattan.”

“Especially with imminent world destruction at our hands,” Sean pointed out.

Everyone stopped staring at Erik and turned their attention to Sean who shrugged.

“What? We all know that when shit like this,” he pointed to Charles and Erik. “Happens then the world is obviously in trouble.”

There was silence as the group looked at Sean and then each other.

“You know he has a point,” Kitty pointed out.

“Unfortunately,” Storm muttered.

“Please don’t feed his already inflated ego,” Hank warned.

“This kind of thing happens often?” Charles asked everyone who stopped talking again and then looked at each other. “You realize I could pull it out of your heads?”

“More often than we’d like,” Storm responded.

“I would still like to know why everyone is so mistrusting of me,” Erik said. “I have done nothing to any of you and we,” he gestured to Charles, Alex, Sean, and Hank. “Were all a team when we were brought here.”

“It’s best if we don’t have this conversation here,” Storm said after a moment of silence. “Why don’t we go upstairs to my office? It’s secure and the children are being occupied outside. We will make introductions there. Hank could you lead the way?”

“Of course, Charles, Erik, this way,” Hank gestured to the hallway. There was a moment of hesitation, of silent communication between Charles and Erik before they followed Hank out of the bay.

“That’s…it’s just like….it’s them,” Alex commented. “It’s really them. Alive and whole and…”

“And with no knowledge of who or what they’re going to become,” Mike finally spoke up and all eyes were on him. “I get why all of you want to mistrust Erik, believe me I did too but…the brief glimpse I got into his memories show no sign of Magneto. He’s simply Erik Lensherr right now.”

“This is before Cuba,” Sean murmured and curious eyes looked at him. “Charles can _walk._ This is before the shit hit the fan.”

 “Doesn’t mean we have to trust Magneto,” Logan snarled. “Bastard is responsible for so much…”

“He’s not Magneto,” Mike pointed out. “Not yet.”

“We cannot fault him for the things he has not done yet,” Storm told them all quietly. “It will be difficult but we must try. Come, we will all speak later, for now we figure out what happened. Mike, I assume you’ve got some idea.”

“Yes,” he replied. “But it’d be better if we tried to figure it out with Charles and Erik. Plus I think we need Hank’s input.”

“Like I said, world ending doom,” Sean pointed out as they all began to walk towards the doorway. Alex hit him on the back of the head, Sean yelped, which made everyone cover their ears. Kitty, Bobby and Peter flanked him at the back of the group.

“It’s good to have you home again,” Peter said. “We’ve missed you Mike.”

“Missed you guys too,” he said. “Despite the circumstances it’s good to be home.” 


	5. Discord

**Part 5: Discord**

“This school, I really started it?” Charles asked as he glanced around the office. He recognized this place, it was his study, he had been in here just last night to play chess with Erik, but it was different.

“It’s been years Charles,” Erik offered as he cottoned on to the thought as it lingered in his head. “I would imagine it’s changed.”

“But it’s still yours,” Hank told him. “Things have changed with the times but we’ve always tried to keep true to the original design.”

“But it’s not mine, not anymore,” Charles shook his head. “That woman…I believe I read that her name was Storm?”

“Her codename yes,” Hank offered.

“It’s her office now, she…she runs this school? And where is Raven?”

“Raven is….she’s not here right now,” Hank shifted uncomfortably. “And we all run this school together. We work to make sure it remains a safe place for mutants.”

“I see,” Charles frowned as he looked around.

“Speaking of mutations,” Erik interrupted his eyes on Hank. “Can I ask what brought on your…change?”

“I…let’s just say it was a combination of things that caused me to evolve more,” he gestured to his blue fur. “I’ve had time to adjust.”

“What do they call you?” Erik asked.

“Beast,” Alex answered for him as he headed into the room with Sean hot on his heels. The two stood on either side of their friend. “We call him Beast.”

“Dr. McCoy to the students,” Sean offered.

“Where are your friends?” Charles asked.

“Right here,” Logan replied as he and Storm entered, flanked by the rest of them. They all looked more than a little dazed at the sight of their mentor and Erik standing there but Storm was quick to recover. She walked over to her desk and pressed down on the book there.

“Groovy,” Charles murmured as sheets if black tint descended from the ceiling and covered the windows. A small monitor appeared on one of the walls that Bobby walked over to activate, giving the room a four-way view of the road leading up to the house, the grounds, the bunker, and the classrooms that the students were spread out in.

“Nice new trick,” Mike said. Bobby shrugged.

“Necessary precaution after…well you know,” he replied, Mike nodded. Just because he’d had to leave the school and team to take care of his grandmother didn’t mean he wasn’t still part of it. Bobby, Rogue, Kitty, and Peter kept him in the loop and he had talked to them once every month until things with Trevor had taken over. After that, well he’d been too ashamed of his life to bring it back to them.

 _You have no need to be ashamed Mike._

He startled and glanced over to Charles, who shrugged and gave him a grin.

 _We all have things in our past that we are ashamed of. Your friends still love you._

Mike felt a wave of warmth crash over him at the reassurance.

 _I know._

He sent it back and Charles nodded.

“Everyone, please take a seat,” Storm said as she pulled her own chair around. A gust of wind came through the room and rearranged the chairs and couches within into a neat circle. Charles and Erik looked at Storm in surprise as they took seats next to each other. Dr. McCoy sat next to Charles while Alex bit the bullet and sat next to Erik. Sean sat beside Alex; Logan took a seat next to Storm. That left the couch for Mike, Peter, Bobby, and Kitty. Somehow the four of them managed to squeeze onto it.

“God how did we ever do this as teenagers?” Bobby grumbled.

“Hey don’t look at me, I’m still skinny, it’s this one,” Mike pointed at Piotr. “That had to go and bulk up on us.”

“A consequence of my powers,” Piotr defended.

“You’ll hear no complaints from me,” Kitty chimed in. Mike and Bobby exchanged matching looks of disgust and horror.

“Children,” Logan interrupted. “You can fight amongst yourselves later. Right now we have more important things to worry about.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Logan?” Mike asked. Alex and Sean laughed; Storm hid a smile behind her hand.

“Things change kid,” Logan gave him a feral grin.

“Why don’t we begin with some introductions,” Hank suggested. “Charles and Erik know us,” he gestured to Alex, Sean, and himself. “And now Mike but none of you.”

“Of course,” Storm replied as she turned her attention to Charles and Erik, her smile brightening whenever she looked at Charles. “My name is Ororo Monroe but you can call me Storm.”

“And what is your mutation?” Charles asked her.

“I control the weather,” she responded before she looked at Bobby.

“Bobby Drake but I go by Iceman around here,” he said.

“Iceman?”

Bobby held his hand out and an ice crystal appeared in them.

“Fascinating,” Charles said. “You can freeze things.”

“That’s the general idea,” he shrugged before he turned to Kitty.

“Kitty Pride, otherwise known as Shadowcat,” she responded. “I phase through things.”

“Phase?” Charles asked, Kitty closed her eyes and leaned back through the couch, into the wall and then sat back up again. She giggled at the wide-eyed look she got from Erik.

“You know me,” Mike said with his hands up.

“My name is Peter, to the team I am Colussus, I can make a shield of armor cover my body,” Piotr said with a pointed look at Erik. “This does not give you license to control me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Erik muttered before he looked at Logan. “We’ve met before haven’t we? When we were on the road.”

“You changed your mind Logan?” Charles asked. Logan ran a hand against the back of his neck.

“It took me a while but yeah,” he shrugged. “And I go by Wolverine around here these days.”

“How is that you look the same?” Erik asked. “And I can…I sense metal everywhere within you.”

Logan stiffened at the words, his nostrils flared, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Erik.

“Calm,” Charles put a hand on Erik’s shoulder. “Both of you. We mean you no harm.”

“Sorry if I don’t believe him,” Logan nodded to Erik.

“That reminds me, why do none of you trust me?” Erik asked them. “When we are on the same side.”

“It’s…it’s not that we don’t trust you or-”

“Speak for yourself,” Logan muttered. “I don’t trust him. I personally feel like he shouldn’t even be here.”

“And once more what the hell were we going to do leave him on the streets of modern day Manhattan?” Sean asked. “He had to come despite…despite it all.”

“Despite what?” Erik asked. “None of you will tell me a thing. Unless, Charles can you…”

“No,” Charles brought his fingers to his head and frowned. “Why can’t I get into your heads? I should be…”

“That’s all my doing sugar.”

Everyone turned to find Emma Frost walking into the room, dressed in a smart white suit with her blonde hair pulled back in a bun.

 _“You,”_ Erik hissed.

“Yes me,” Emma responded. “Try what you’re thinking and I will knock you out.”

“I’m afraid I am most confused,” Charles looked at everyone else. “Why is she here in my school when she works for Sebastian Shaw?”

Emma snorted.

“Honey Sebastian was so forty years ago,” she responded. “Things have changed. I can’t tell you what but I can tell you that I’m on your side now. I’m one of the first ones that picked up on you coming back and the reason Mike found you.”

“She is who you called?” Erik asked, Mike straightened under his murderous glare and nodded.

“She’s part of this team,” Mike responded.

“And you all trust this accomplice to murder and—” Erik stopped talking when Charles put a hand up.

“You’re blocking their memories from me,” he accused.

“With good reason,” Emma told him. “There are things you shouldn’t know sugar. Trust me. It’ll save us all a lot of heartbreak.”

“Emma,” Storm cut in but Emma shook her head before she looked at Mike.

“She’s right,” Mike responded. “If they know...if they know it could be bad. For everyone.”

“Are you using your powers as well?” Charles asked him suspiciously, Mike shook his head.

“I could if Emma and the others agree and I would,” he told him. “Professor I told you that the both of you could trust me. Do you still believe me? Do you believe that you can trust us?”

“Charles I—” Erik stopped talking once more when Charles looked at him.

“We don’t have a choice Erik and despite this…I stand by what I told you. They want to help. They trust me. We can trust them. We need their help.”

“How am I to trust people that do not trust me?” Erik asked.

“Because you trust me,” Charles implored. The two were silent as they stared at each other. Mike stared at Bobby who looked as uncomfortable as he felt. He then glanced at Alex who looked nonplussed by the whole exchange.

“Very well,” Erik shot another glare towards Emma. “We stay.”

“Good,” Storm said. “Now, what we need to do is figure out what brought you here.”

“It wasn’t a what,” Charles said. “It was a who. Another mutant brought us here.”

 “Another mutant?” Hank asked.

“I’d just brought you all here for the first time,” Charles gestured to the house. “When I got a feeling that there was another mutant nearby.”

“A sense?” Logan asked.

“The mutant was strong enough to ping my radar without Cerebro,” Charles said. “Erik and I decided to try and recruit them.”

“And it went badly,” Erik responded. “We were expecting a teenager but we got an adult instead. One who knew us and then pulled us…to this time period.”

“He called himself Jupiter,” Mike added, everyone turned to look at him. “Charles let me go fish in his memories. I saw the guy.”

“Jupiter?” Peter asked.

“Jupiter was the king of the Gods in Roman culture,” Mike pointed out. Sean groaned.

“Can someone tell me why all the crazy mutants want to be king of something?” he asked.

“We don’t know that he’s crazy.”

“He might be,” Charles said. “The only reason Erik and I got away was because he was ill prepared to deal with a telepath. I managed to create a buffer and we were separated. The brief glimpse into his head was rather disturbing.”

“Told you,” Sean muttered. “They’re all crazy.”

“So this mutant can time jump?” Hank asked.

“I think that’s a safe hypothesis,” Charles said. “I’ve never seen a mutation quite like his. Have any of you?”

“We’re constantly finding new ones,” Storm offered. “Everyone is different.”

“We need to locate this Jupiter,” Emma told them. “If he wanted to bring these two here,” she gestured to Charles and Erik. “Then he was obviously up to something nefarious.”

“You’d know all about that wouldn’t you?” Erik snarled, Emma gave him a cool smile.

“Can we multitask?” Mike interrupted before things could get heated. “We need to find Jupiter but we also need to work on a way to get Charles and Erik back to their time. The longer the two of them are here the more damage is done to the past.”

“And the more possible damage to the future?” Bobby asked quietly, Mike nodded.

“I can start working on a few theories,” Hank assured everyone. “We’ve built more than a few contacts over the years. Alex can you—”

“Schmooze my way into an alien conference? Done,” Alex nodded.

 “Aliens?” Charles asked as Erik raised an eyebrow. Sean gave them both a sympathetic look and reached over to pat his hand.

“You get used to it. I’ll help Alex,” Sean told Hank. “I’m on good terms with a lot of the species.”

“I’m going to go check on the security systems,” Bobby stood up and looked at Piotr. “Chances are this Jupiter guy is crazy like Sean says and will look here.”

“You’re right,” Storm took a breath. “Piotr can you please go and make sure we have rooms ready for our guests while Logan, Emma, and I check on the children and inform Rogue about the situation?”

“Of course,” Piotr stood but paused to look at Kitty who just gave him a smile.

“I think that I should give the Professor and Erik a tour of the place,” Kitty suggested. “Things have changed and I’m sure they’d like to see the school. Wise Man can come with me. He needs a refresher course.”

“I do not!” Mike told her with a point to his head. “My memory is flawless.”

“You’re coming with me,” she pinched his arm. He winced.

“Yes ma’am,” he mock saluted as he stood up.

“Would you like a tour professor? Erik?” Kitty asked, the two startled at being addressed, shared a look and then nodded.

“We’d like that very much Kitty,” Charles stood with Erik.

“Good idea,” Storm gave Kitty and Mike a grateful look. “I’d like to introduce the two of you to the children sometime today. Let’s meet again in an hour and we’ll go from there.”

There was a chorus of nods before everyone scattered.

“Right, time for the grand tour,” Kitty said as she grabbed Mike’s arm and pulled him out into the hall with Charles and Erik behind him.

 _Wise Man_. _Shadowcat._

They turned to look at Emma.

 _Don’t tell them too much._

Kitty frowned but nodded; Mike put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him.

“Come on,” he gestured to Charles and Erik. “We can start downstairs and work our way outside.”

-

Harvey looked up when he heard a knock on his door and was greeted with the sight of Donna in her coat with her bag slung over her shoulder.

“Still mad at me?” she asked. Harvey didn’t say anything. She rolled her eyes. “Fine act like a two year-old.”

“You tell me everything Donna,” Harvey told her quietly, watched as her eyes softened.

“I know but right now…I don’t even know what’s going on,” she admitted, Harvey’s eyebrows rose. “I know, I know, I usually know everything but this is…big. Bigger than you, and me, and even Mike now, I’m going to go for the night,” she nodded towards the hall where _Louis_ of all people was waiting.

“With Louis,” he stated.

“Yes, turns out we have something in common,” she shrugged. “And I need a drink. Want to come?”

“No, you go, have fun, don’t break him,” Harvey warned. Donna smirked.

“We’ll see how the night ends,” she turned to leave but paused and looked back at him. “Are we good?”

“We will be,” he promised. “Go. I promise I’m leaving soon.”

“You’d better,” Donna warned before she left and walked out with _Louis_. Harvey shuddered at that mental image as he waited. Fifteen minutes after Donna had left and Harvey was sure she wouldn’t be reappearing for the night he picked his cell phone and dialed the number he’d had waiting for the entire day.

“Vanessa? It’s Harvey. I have a job for you,” he began when his faithful PI picked up after the second ring. Donna could tell him to stay out of it as much as she wanted but that didn’t mean that Harvey would be listening.

-

“Even the grounds have changed,” Charles remarked from where he sat on one of the benches in the garden, Erik by his side as Mike and Kitty sat on the grounds. They’d paused after their tour of the bunker to give their guests a chance to collect their thoughts and to spend some time in the quiet recesses of their own minds.

“The school has grown Charles,” Erik remarked. “It makes sense that they would need to accommodate for the growing number of your pupils.”

“Our pupils,” Charles remarked, Kitty and Mike exchanged a look from where they were sitting. “Or not.”

“What?” Kitty asked, turning to look at Charles with wide eyes. He chuckled at the look on their faces. “How did you….our heads?”

“No, nothing like that, Ms. Frost has done an admirable job of blocking those thoughts from me,” Charles frowned. “But the looks on your faces are most telling.”

“We do not run this school together?” Erik asked them, Mike looked at Kitty who shrugged.

“To hell with it,” she muttered as she looked back at them. “No, you don’t run it together at this point in time.”

“We didn’t run it together when you were still students either,” Charles’s frown deepened at the statement. “Michael never mentioned Erik as his teacher, just myself and the distrust all of you have in him is unsettling. Not to mention the fact that it hasn’t escaped my notice that my older self isn’t here.”

Both Mike and Kitty froze. Erik looked at the both of them, Charles had a mixture of sadness and resignation on his face.

“Professor,” Kitty tried to speak but Charles shook his head

“I won’t ask because I’m not sure but the answer is obvious is it not?”

“Charles,” Erik said. “You can’t possibly be—”

“I can accept it my friend because look at what I’ve managed to do here. This school has truly helped you?”

“You’ve changed so many lives professor. You made this a safe haven where we don’t have to hide. I will forever be grateful to you for this,” Kitty said.

“You made it alright to be so different,” Mike added. “This place made me feel like I belonged.”

“You will see it come to fruition,” Erik told Charles. “I will not have it any other way. We are to be together you and I. We are supposed to change the world.”

“Oh I have no doubt about that, this place is proof of it.”

“It is also proof that more has to be done. Mutants shouldn’t have to hide who they are,” Erik grumbled. “It’s not right that we do.”

“Erik I’ve told you it will take time for humans to understand and accept us,” Charles told him.

“And Kitty and Mike are ample evidence that nothing has changed,” Erik argued.

“Things have changed but—” Mike stopped talking when he felt the vaguest hint of memories that didn’t belong to anyone he know wash over him. He looked at Charles and found his fingers at his head, his head cocked in the direction of the forest.

“We have company,” Charles said. “And not the good kind. Another mutant. Very intent on finding Erik and I.”

Kitty was on her feet in an instant and Mike followed her.

“Not memories I recognize,” he said as he honed in on the mutant approaching. “Dark,” he shuddered. “Very dark.”

“Which way?” she asked.

“You’re not going alone,” Mike told her, she glared and pointed to Erik and Charles.

“Someone has to stay with them.”

“They are right here and perfectly capable of protecting themselves,” Erik muttered. “We should all go.”

“Like hell, they’re looking for you and Charles, you two stay here,” Kitty instructed. “Mike you call up to the school and get me some back-up.”

“No! You aren’t going alone because she might be dangerous.”

“All the more reason we should all go.”

“Children,” Charles interrupted, Mike and Kitty turned to look at him as Erik merely rolled his eyes. “There’s no need to fight about it. I’ve immobilized her.”

“Oh,” Mike looked at Kitty. “I’d forgotten he could do that.”

“Useful,” Kitty said. “I’ll go and collect her.”

“Not alone, you’re not,” Mike said.

“We’ll all go,” Charles said as he stood, Erik followed. “I can’t get a clear read on her mind from this far away anyway.”

“And you two don’t look like you could hold anything,” Erik told them, both Mike and Kitty stared at him, looked at each other, and then burst into giggles.

“You just keep thinking that,” Kitty told him. “Prof-Charles and Mike can lead the way.”

“I will, Charles can concentrate on holding her,” Mike said with a nod towards the woods, his powers already leading him to the memories that lingered in the center of it. Ten minutes later found Mike staring at a young Asian woman with glittering eyes and a defiant expression on her face when they approached.

“Let me go,” she hissed. “Is this how you treat your own kind?”

“It’s how we treat people that want to hurt us,” Charles placated. “Which you seem very intent on doing my dear.”

“Jupiter will be so pleased I’ve found you,” she sighed. “He was so angry.”

“Is she crazy?”

“No,” Mike shook his head as memories encased him, a little girl with fire coming out of her hands, being terrified and alone when her parents called her a demon. A man coming to rescue her when they tried to exorcise her, he saw loyalty and devotion to this man. “Just devoted and loyal.”

“And _going to sleep_ ,” Charles murmured, the glittering eyes turned to him, wide and angry before the lids slid shut and she dropped, Erik caught her before she could hit the ground. He looked up to Charles and they did their weird nonverbal communication thing before Erik laid her on the ground. Charles approached and knelt beside her with his fingers on his head. He frowned.

“She was sent here to find us by Jupiter,” Charles told them. “She’s very concerned with making him happy and there’s something about a master plan.”

“There’s always a master plan,” Kitty muttered. Mike cracked a smile at her tone of voice. “I’m guessing she doesn’t know what it is?”

“She knows it involves mutants ruling the world,” Charles said. “But not the specifics. I’d wager if we could find Jupiter we’d know more.”

“Charles could you find him?” Erik asked. “In her head, could you get directions to their base.”

Charles closed his eyes as a look of deep concentration appeared on his face. Mike and Kitty shared a look of confusion as Erik just kept his focus on Charles, reached a hand out when he fell forward.

“Steady libeling,” Erik murmured as Charles opened his eyes and breathed in.

“I know where Jupiter’s base is,” Charles told him.

“Good,” Erik tore his gaze from him to look at Kitty and Mike. “You said we need to find Jupiter and he is clearly the best bet we have at getting back to our time. Charles knows where he is now.”

“All of you head back to the mansion,” Mike said. “Kitty get everyone from whatever they’re doing , Rogue included, we need a war room.”

“Right,” she nodded as she got her communicator out.

“And what about you?” Erik asked even as he stood and helped Charles do the same, Mike was more than surprised to watch the professor lean on Erik as they walked over to Kitty. He ignored it in favor of approaching the woman on the ground and sinking to his knees beside her.

“When you’re out of sight, Charles can wake her up and I’m going to create our cover,” Mike explained. “She saw you, we need to fix that, protect the school.”

“I could—” Charles stopped talking when Mike shook his head.

“Memories are what I specialize in,” Mike gave him a grim smile. “It’s just easier to alter current ones when you’re awake. They’re at the front of the brain.”

“He’s right,” Kitty told them. “Come on, we’ll head back to the mansion. Mike call if you need help,” she tapped her head.

“Will do, go,” Mike nodded his head towards the grounds. Kitty, Charles, and Erik were quick to make their exit. Five minutes later he felt a shuffle beside him, he took a breath and put his hands on her head, met her sparkling eyes with his blue ones. “Time to remember what really happened today.”

“I found—I didn’t find anyone,” she whispered. “Came to the school and didn’t find Xavier or Lensherr.”

Mike smiled at her as he took a breath and dove into her head to continue to alter and create bridges. He’d forgotten how good he was at doing this. He’d forgotten what he was capable of with his powers.

 It would figure that he would be the one to forget that being part of this life was as easy as breathing.


	6. Orientation

**Part Six: Orientation**

When Mike came into the bunker’s ‘conference room’ ten minutes later, his mind hummed, his body buzzed, and he was greeted with the sight of one more familiar faces sitting at the table there. Said familiar face brightened considerably as she jumped up and rushed over to him. Mike found himself engulfed in a hug that he returned with equal enthusiasm.

“Good to see you again,” Rogue whispered.

“Likewise,” he gestured to her covered arms and the way she carefully extracted herself from his arms because the last time they had talked Rogue had gone and gotten the ‘cure’ everyone had made such a big deal about. She shook her head.

“Later,” she told him. “Come sit with us.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the table, sat him right between Kitty and herself. Bobby and Piotr shot him a look.

“Not my fault I’m prettier than both of you,” he teased. Logan snorted, Mike turned to the front of the room where Charles and Erik were standing with Emma and Storm.

“The intruder has been taken care of?” Storm asked, Mike nodded.

“As far as she’s concerned she came to the school but didn’t see Charles or Erik,” he replied. “She doesn’t think they were ever here, but she did here Logan and Storm taking a walk and mentioning something about a property in South America that they needed to go to. I called and alerted them to possible visitors on the way up here.”

“Da—he mentioned that,” Alex cut himself off before he could say the actual name, shot a look at Emma who nodded while Charles frowned.

“I don’t like being kept out of the loop,” Charles told them. “We have a base in South America?”

“We have a couple,” Bobby replied. “It became necessary a few years ago. Just in case we’re ever compromised and the kids have to be moved. We have members of our team spread through them if the need arises.”

“Do you think that they’ll come back to the school?” Logan asked Mike who frowned.

“They might, I’m not sure what this Jupiter guy is really like, that woman….she worshipped him,” he responded. “Let’s say yes as a precaution then.”

“I’ll alert everyone then,” Sean said.

“Should we move the children?”

“They are safer here with us right now,” Erik threw in the suggestion before anyone could respond to the question. “We are strongest together and despite what some of you may think of me I would not see harm come to any mutant.”

There was an awkward silence as they all shared a look before Storm shook them out of it.

“Erik is right,” she said. “The children will stay for now. But we’ll keep the older students on alert.”

“Bobby and I can do that after we here what the professor has to say,” Rogue offered.

“We’ll all do it,” Mike told her, she smiled at him.

“Right, now we all know there was in intruder on the far end of the grounds today,” Alex began. “We know that from this intruder we now know where Jupiter is.”

“We have several of our contacts working on sending Charles and Erik back,” Hank added. “But I think we all agree that Jupiter has to be a priority.”

They all nodded.

“The only thing we know about him is that he’s bent on destroying not only Erik and I but now on having mutants rule the world,” Charles added. “We just don’t know how or why he even wants this.”

“There are some mutants who believe that we are superior to regular humans,” Storm replied.

“Some things never change,” Charles muttered. “You’d think after all this time people would realize that thinking like that accomplishes nothing.”

“What we’ve decided to do is form a team and go to the location tomorrow to see if we can get any information,” Alex told them. “I know we’re going in pretty blind here but we don’t have the time to plan. Logan and I are point on this. Storm, Bobby, Emma, and Kitty will be with us. I’d appreciate it if there was one more person going.”

“Obviously it should be me,” Charles said. “I know the clearest path to Jupiter.”

“I won’t let him go without me,” Erik interrupted. “You’ll take us both.”

 “Not a chance in hell,” Sean told them both. “He wants you two.”

“All the more reason to go,” Erik argued. “We can find out what his plans are.”

“And what if it goes wrong and you get caught? If something happens to you both then we’re all fucked,” Alex said. “No, you’re going to stay right here.”

“I will not let some child—”

“Erik it’s been a very long time since I was a child,” Alex seethed. “Believe it or not I do know how to run a mission. I’ve been doing it for years.”

“And what if you can’t get him to confess?” Charles asked. “I highly doubt he will willingly confess his plans to you. It would be easier if I came with you to take it from his head.”

“Which is why I’m going sugar,” Emma told him.

“And you’re powers are stronger than mine?” Charles asked. Emma flinched at the tone of his voice.

“They’re strong enough,” she bit out. “To handle someone who you told me wasn’t used to telepaths.”

“But not as foolproof as Charles,” Erik added. “I’d personally feel better if Charles went.”

“Don’t really give a fuck about what you want though,” Logan mused. “This is our mission. And—”

“Oh my god stop fighting I’ll go,” Mike called out, everyone stopped trying to talk and looked at him.

“Mike?” Storm asked.

“You heard me, I’ll go,” Mike sighed. “Because Charles is right, Jupiter is smart and we’re going to need to be sneaky to get information about what he has planned. I’ll go in case Emma needs help or for some reason can’t get into his head. Professor I know you don’t like to be on the sidelines but Alex is right, it’s too dangerous for you two to come with us. You may not trust Emma but can you trust me?”

He aimed his look at Charles and Erik, the two exchanged looks, Emma’s face shifted as she stared at them as they looked at Mike.

“I still think we should go,” Charles said. “But your abilities will be useful.”

“So the only question left is…still have my suit?”

 Logan’s lips twitched into a smirk as Bobby fist bumped him.

“Welcome back kid,” Logan told him.

“I’ll make the necessary modifications to your suit tonight,” Hank told him. “For now, might I suggest we all take a breather?”

“Yeah it’s gotten a little heated in here,” Sean remarked. “And I’d like…I’d like some time with Charles and Erik.”

“Suit yourselves,” Alex griped as he stood up and stalked to the door. “I have a call to make. Logan, danger room in fifteen minutes?”

“You got it,” Logan replied, Alex waved a hand to the room before he stomped out. Charles looked at Sean and Hank who shared a look.

“It’s complicated,” Sean finally offered.

“Mike let’s go make sure your suit still fits,” Bobby interrupted. “For Hank to fix up tonight.”

Mike thought that that was a brilliant idea, he nodded and stood up with Rogue and Kitty.

“Kitty, Rogue and I will go and talk to the older students,” Piotr told Storm. 

“I’ll come with you,” she offered with a nod towards the group of four at the front of the room. “Make sure everyone is alright.”

“I have a call to make,” Emma said as she sauntered to the door. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”

“Come on,” Mike grabbed Bobby’s arm and dragged him to the door with the others. They all filed out but paused in the hall as Storm closed the door behind her. She leaned against the wall with a sigh.

“This is more complicated than I ever thought possible,” she told them. “And it’s just beginning.”

“We’ll face it though, like we always do,” Rogue comforted. “Bobby get Mike situated. Meet us in his old room?”

“My room is still here?” Mike asked them, Rogue’s lips quirked into a smile as Kitty rolled her eyes.

“No we gave it away for no reason,” Kitty grumbled.

“You will always have a room here Mike, you’re part of the team,” Storm touched his arm. “We still need to have a conversation about your activities since leaving.”

“And we will,” Mike assured. “After we figure out my suit situation. See you all soon.”

“Come on, we’ve made some adjustments since you last wore one.”

-

“I can’t believe you kept it,” Mike said as he and Bobby walked down the hall towards his old room to catch up to the others. Their fitting had taken a total of half an hour and they’d run for it after Hank had come in with normal clothes for him. Mike had changed into the jeans, t-shirt, and a faded leather jacket and then he and Bobby had run when Hank had gotten a gleam in his eye. “I only wore it a couple of times.”

“That still makes you part of the team,” Bobby informed him. “Just because you had to leave doesn’t mean you’re out of the club.”

“Once an X-Man always an X-Man?” Mike grinned when Bobby slapped his shoulder.

“Always,” he told him seriously. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Good to be—”

Mike stopped talking when they walked past one of the vacant rooms; Bobby held a hand up when they heard the voices coming from within.

‘Erik’s room,’ Bobby mouthed, Mike’s eyes widened as understanding flitted over him. He knew that it was wrong, that they should keep walking to his old room but something kept them glued to the floor by the room. Maybe it was because it was the Professor’s voice, maybe it was because it was a chance to listen to the great Magneto, or maybe it was because it was the both of them _together_ in a way that was legend around the academy. The door was open and the two of them shared a look before they peered into the room. Charles and Erik were sitting by the fireplace, a chess board between them, but it looked like they were far more concerned with each other.

“So much has changed Erik,” Charles murmured. “All of them have changed.”

“It’s twenty-eleven Charles,” Erik replied, voice equally calm. “I would have expected them to change. At least Alex’s temper has remained the same.”

There was a chuckle from Erik, an attempt at bringing light to the situation.

“But not for the same reason, they all look so ready for the fight,” Charles said.

“They said they do this often,” Erik shrugged. “I am more concerned that you aren’t here.”

“Erik, I got enough from their minds to know…”

“You’re dead,” Erik’s voice was small, Charles reached across the board and put his hand on Erik’s. “You can’t be dead. I won’t have…I cannot…not when…”

“Calm my friend,” Charles squeezed his hand when the metal on the clock shifted. “I am here right now.”

“There is no world without us in it, side by side, working together,” Erik told him. “We’re meant to face these threats together and the fact that we seemingly do not is unsettling to me. I’d…I’ve gotten used to the idea of being equals, standing side by side.”

“We still might,” Charles told him. “Just because I’m not here doesn’t mean we didn’t—”

“Charles please,” Erik’s voice was quiet. “I think we’re both smart enough to acknowledge that there are no pictures, no room for me, and everyone’s distrust of me is telling. We are not together in this time and the fact that they are all on your side shows me that it was my fault.”

“No,” Charles shook his head. “Do not do this to yourself my friend. We don’t know anything about what happened.”

“What do you expect me to do?” Erik asked. Charles just smiled.

“Trust that whatever might happen, whatever it is we’ll fix it,” he whispered. “Like you said, by each other’s sides, as equals, facing this world together.”

“Together,” Erik repeated, Charles nodded.

“There is no other way,” he smiled when Erik threaded their fingers together and squeezed. “Now…let’s...” Charles cocked his head to the side, Mike’s eyes widened before he grabbed Bobby and pulled him away forcibly. The two shared a mutual nod and then broke into a run as the door to the room closed. They ran until they got to his room and practically dove into the doorway, closed and locked the door. The others were already sitting on the floor with two pizzas and some alcohol between them.

“Oh my god,” Bobby groaned as he collapsed next to Rogue. Mike took a spot right next to him.

“I know, I know,” Mike mumbled as he reached for a drink.

“What?” Rogue asked.

“Just…we…passed by Erik’s room and he and Charles were in there and…this is going to sound very crazy but does anyone think that Charles and Erik had a…thing back in the day?”

Everyone was quiet as they looked at the door and then at each other.

“A thing,” Kitty repeated slowly.

“Yes,” Bobby told her. “A thing because Mike and I just heard them talking and saw them holding hands and…why didn’t you warn me about this?!” he looked at Mike who startled.

“What makes you think I knew about it?” he avoided being hit with a pillow.

“You had sessions with the Professor!”

“I stayed out of that part of his memories,” Mike said, Bobby stopped trying to attack him. “He always had it closed off from me. I always figured it was really personal and never tried to get in.”

“Oh,” Bobby nodded.

“Why is it bothering you so much?” Piotr questioned.

“It’s not…it’s like walking in on your parents having sex,” Bobby poked Piotr who wrinkled his nose.

“They did,” Rogue murmured. “I saw it…when…when Magneto kidnapped me. He put a lot of himself into me,” she fingered the strand of white hair by her shoulder. “Memories included. They were…in love.”

“And you never mentioned this to us why?” Kitty asked her, Rogue gave her a sad smile.

“The professor asked me not to,” she replied. They were quiet again because no one could refute that, when the professor asked for anything they all did it. “But for what it’s worth I think they never stopped loving each other.”

“Just on opposite sides of the war,” Piotr murmured. Rogue nodded as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Mike shifted closer to them. “Tragic if you think about it.”

“This entire situation is tragic,” Mike said. Kitty nudged him.

“Not all tragic, it brought you back home,” she grinned when he smiled. “Now I want to hear all about this playing a lawyer thing.”

“Oh yes please tell,” Bobby remarked.

“And then we’ll catch you up,” Rogue placated with a look to her arms, though Mike didn’t need much of an explanation there. The cure had obviously only been a temporary fix and she was back to being unable to touch but she smiled at him all the same. He nodded and grabbed for the pizza.

“Well it all started with my friend Trevor.”

 -

Harvey stood at the newsstand, casually reading through the evening paper when he felt a presence beside him.

“You’re late,” he murmured.

“You called me late,” Vanessa responded as she tapped his paper. He glanced up and looked at her expectantly.

“Well?”

“Your boy and his friends are good at becoming ghosts,” she told him. “Or he has some very powerful friends because the second I tried poking around about Charles Xavier I was shut down.”

“What?” Harvey asked as the shock raced through him. Vanessa looked unnerved and he felt like it because she had always come through for him.

“You heard me shut down and locked out,” she said. “The only thing I could get was his research on mutation that everyone has access to. But anything else, anything personal…nothing. I’m lucky that it didn’t fry my computer actually.”

“What?”

“The system was the most advanced I’ve ever seen,” she offered. “Impossible to penetrate.”

“And Mike?”

“Nothing,” she replied. “The only thing I found on him was the stuff about the accident he was in with his parents and the grandmother and you told me to stay away from her. Did you want me to—”

“No,” Harvey shook his head, he was curious, beyond curious and more than a little worried, not that he would admit to that ever. “She’s elderly and in a nursing facility. It wouldn’t do any good and I don’t want to be responsible for worrying her.”

“Might help to get some information about his past,” Vanessa offered. Harvey cocked his head and looked at her. She put a file in his hand. “That’s everything I have on Mike Ross and the accident where his parents died and he barely got out of. He was put into his grandmother’s custody—”

“I know about this,” Harvey told her; Vanessa leveled him with a look and opened the folder and pointed to the top file.

“Everything goes dark after that,” she told him.

“What?” his brow furrowed as he read the sheet, one that outlined Mike going into his grandmother’s care when he was eleven, being enrolled in a new school but almost being taken right out and then nothing. No note of homeschooling, no notes at all. Just blank. The complete opposite of what Mike was. “Maybe I should go visit the grandmother.”

“If anyone can get answers it would be you,” she smiled at him. “Look it over and decide. If you need more I’ll see what I can do but-”

“Keep trying,” he said. “And I’ll start some work on my end.”

“Work?”

“I’m the best closer in the city. That should be worth something right?”

“Only you Harvey,” she grinned before she slipped back into the night, Harvey waited five minutes before he slipped off himself, file wrapped carefully in the newspaper for his perusal when he got home.


	7. Struggle

**Part Seven: Struggle**

He stared at himself in the mirror as he pulled the black gloves on over his hands. The black leather adhered to his body but he still felt like he could move if need be. Hank had outdone himself during the night to make sure it would be ready for him today. Mike tugged on his collar once and turned when he heard someone enter the room.

“Everything alright kid?” Logan asked, Mike stared at him.

“Seriously what happened to you?”

Logan raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t do emotions,” Mike pointed out. Logan rolled his eyes.

“Being around you brats all the time does things to a guy,” he replied. “But if I left you’d be lost without me.”

“Secretly you love us,” Mike pointed out.

“What can I plead to that?”

“The fifth,” Mike replied. “Did you come to get me?”

Logan nodded.

“Ready to kick some ass?”

“I knew that you still existed under that marshmallow exterior,” Mike sent him a cocky grin before he backed out of the room and ran down the hall to the hanger bay. Logan caught up to him easily but chose not to say anything to him as he went over to where Alex, Sean, Hank, Storm, and Emma were conversing with Charles and Erik. Mike ignored Emma’s wolf whistle in favor of approaching his friends and holding his arms out.

“Well?”

Kitty barreled into his arms and hugged him. Mike laughed and returned the gesture.

“Team’s back together,” she murmured. “It hasn’t been the same since you left.”

“She’s right,” Piotr added.

“All for one and one for all,” Bobby grinned as they fist bumped. Mike nodded as he looked around and took in the black suits, the serious expressions on everyone’s faces. Kitty stepped out of his arms and he nodded.

“Time to get down to business,” Mike said as they walked over to the rest of their team. Hank pulled up a map when they stopped.

“Thanks to Charles we’ve been able to pinpoint where Jupiter’s base is,” he pointed to the north. “He’s built a complex in the countryside.”

“So we can get a cover here,” Alex pointed to the woods. “And then go on foot the rest of the way.”

“Civilians?” Bobby asked, Emma shook her head.

“None that I could find,” she replied. “Just mutants.”

“Wise Man do you feel alright to co-pilot with Storm?” Alex asked. Mike startled as everyone in the room looked at him. He considered the flight path for a few seconds before he nodded and pointed to the water.

“I think it’d be best if we fly by that path first, it’ll take us longer but give us more time to come up with a concrete plan,” he looked at Storm who nodded.

“When we get closer I’ll provide some cover,” she said.

“You should still take us,” Erik pointed out. “We deserve to know why we’ve been brought here.”

“They’ll find out,” Sean reassured him. “You couldn’t ask for a better team.”

“Erik stop fighting,” Charles put a hand on his arm, Mike shifted when Bobby, Kitty, and Piotr did. They all ignored the curious looks from Logan and Storm, Alex and Emma looked nonplussed. Mike made a mental note to ask them about it. “They’ll only worry about us if we go. We’ll stay here and assist with the children.”

“Very well,” Erik’s voice was tight but he nodded to the group. “I wish you luck.”

“Let’s move out, the sooner we do this the sooner we can come back,” Alex ordered.

“Try not to wreck the jet!”

Hank’s voice carried over them, Mike chuckled as he raced ahead to enter the metal beauty with Storm.

“Come, we’ll fly and catch up,” Storm nodded to the cockpit.

“As in inquisition time?” Mike asked as he followed her up and took the seat beside her. She sent him a sidelong glance as they worked in tandem to turn the jet on and felt the engines roar underneath of them.

“Nonsense,” she grinned. “That doesn’t start until after we’re in flight.”

-

The interior of the building was built like a labyrinth and Mike got the feeling that it was meant to be confusing as he crept through the halls with everyone else. It was easy to get lost even with a telepath and someone who latched onto memories leading the way. It was a brilliant tactical decision for Jupiter and his crew because it would be easy to corner an intruder when they knew the place. It had been eerily quiet since Kitty had gotten them all inside ten minutes ago, no signs of life in the halls, but Mike knew that people were here, Emma knew they were here, but finding them was proving more than a little difficult.

It was annoying and unnerving at the same time. They should have gotten someone by now.

 _Stop._

Emma’s hand went up as her voice filtered through his head. Mike cocked his head to the side when she nodded ahead of them. He focused his powers and found that silence had hit him in ways that it hadn’t since he was a young child.

 _Yours too?_

He nodded and Emma frowned as she turned to their group.

“There’s something in there,” she murmured. “Something is blocking our powers.”

“Blocking? How is that possible?” Alex asked. “The last time something could block out psychic powers was…Magneto’s helmet.”

Alex’s eyes were wide as everyone froze.

“That helmet should be destroyed,” Logan growled. “We destroyed it.”

“It’s not the helmet,” Emma shook her head. “Something similar is hiding that room from us. I’d wager if we were to get inside than we can get reads from the people inside.”

“So that’s where we go,” Bobby told them.

“He’s right,” Logan said. “Get in, get the information and then we get out. Colussus, Storm stay out here in case we need backup.”

“Understood,” Storm nodded as Peter slinked away from the group to spread them out. When he disappeared Emma started their journey again. His mind focused on the room as they neared it, the silence was so different, he’d lived with the constant chatter of memories in his head for so long and it was disturbing. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when he cottoned onto the memories filtering out of someone in the room.

“Shadowcat,” Emma looked back, Kitty nodded and came up to the front of the group. “The rest of you stay out here, the fewer people in there the better.”

“Cover them,” Alex ordered as Kitty took Mike and Emma by the shoulder and pulled them through the nearest wall. Mike did not expect to end up in a lab of all things but he was not surprised to find himself confronted with the mutant from yesterday and another woman, older than the blonde, with brown hair and wide eyes as she spun around to look at them.

“Hallie—”

The two women froze when they started to move, Mike shot Emma a look and found her staring at them with her head cocked, eyes focused right on them.

“Not so fast,” she ordered with a flick of her wrist when Hallie’s fingers sparked and twitched. “I don’t take kindly to being fried. Interesting power you’ve got though. Shadowcat go—”

“On the computer now,” Kitty phased through the shelves and over to the massive computer system on the far wall. She reformed and started to type on it. The woman beside Hallie let out a screech.

“Let us go,” Hallie hissed. Emma shook her head.

“Sorry no can do,” she replied before she looked at the other woman. “Your name is Nike?”

“Goddess of victory,” the brunette replied. “Emma Frost. I have to say that this is a surprise. A disappointing one. I thought you worked for the winning side that’s always what Sebastian said at least. He spoke most highly of you.”

There was silence as Emma’s eyes widened. Mike looked between her and Nike, trying to find any mentions of Sebastian Shaw in his own memories.

 _He’s the original owner of the hellfire club, the one from Cuba._

Emma’s voice ran through his mind and Mike felt his jaw drop. He knew bare bones about the Cuba mission because it wasn’t something the older mutants liked to talk about. He knew that that had been where the professor had lost use of his legs, that that had caused a separation between him and Magneto. Mike knew that it had been bad, even more so after what he’d witnessed between Charles and Erik last night. He knew that Sebastian Shaw had been a right fucking bastard too.

“You knew Sebastian?” Emma asked before she frowned. “And you’re trying to block me.”

“I’ve learned a few things about telepaths,” Nike responded coolly. “You won’t get what you want from me which I assume has to do with your precious Xavier?”

 _I’m going to keep them frozen and distracted can you poke around in her head? She knows, she’s trying to cover._

 _Understood._

“How’s it going Shadowcat?”

“Give me a few more minutes and I’m in,” Kitty called out.

Mike turned everyone out and breathed in once, twice, before his mind started to skirt the edges of Nike’s. She was good at trying to block people out but bad at doing it to more than one person. All of her energies were focused on Emma which made it fairly easy for him to latch onto the nearest memory that had the names Charles, Erik, and Sebastian Shaw attached to them. He focused and dove in.

 _Mike found himself staring down at a baby in his arms._

 _“Perfect yes?”_

 _He looked up and found himself face to face with Sebastian Shaw as he entered the room and took in the sight before him._

 _“Almost as perfect as you,” he responded. “His mother?”_

 _“Has been dealt with,” Shaw responded as he approached and looked down at the baby. “I’ve engineered him to be the perfection that mutation is. He will be a god among men.”_

 _“He already is,” Mike responded._

 _“As my sister, your task is to raise him while I build our perfect world, make sure he’s taught well.”_

Mike felt shock roll over him as he shifted into another memory.

 _Sorrow. Anger. Hatred. Death. Her brother was dead. He had been killed by Erik Lensherr and Charles Xaiver and their merry little band of mutants. Erik Lensherr, who should be grateful to her brother for teaching and training him, but instead her brother is dead and his associates have gone with Lensherr._

 _A cry cut through her thoughts and she turned to the crib and looked down at the baby there._

 _“You will take what your father was robbed of. You will be the king among men, Jupiter.”_

Mike felt her try to kick him out of her head, she was aware, he kept pushing through the memories.

 _Pride. She was so proud of him and what he had accomplished, taking his inheritance and molding it into the base they were in today. Molding himself into his father’s spitting image, so so proud of him._

 _“You know what you have to do,” she murmured as he looked at the sketches she had compiled._

 _“I know, go back in time, bring them here, let father’s plans come to light and we-”_

 _“And we will be the Kings and Queens of the world,” she soothed. “With your father by our sides. Together. One dynasty.”_

 _“And if it doesn’t work we watch the world burn,” he told her. “Your experiments?”_

 _“Will be ready,” she promised. “And if they aren’t we’ll just wipe the humans out.”_

 _He straightened his suit jacket and looked at himself in the mirror._

 _“I will avenge my father and I will see Xavier and Lensherr suffer for what they did to him and my mother.”_

 _“Yes you will.”_

Mike heard a blast echo in his ear and he snapped himself away from Nike’s memories with a gasp. He stared at her, met the woman’s fierce gaze with his own and then looked at Emma.

“We have company,” she said. “Did you get what we need?”

“Enough of it,” he sucked in a breath and looked to the computer where Kitty no longer was. “Where’s…”

“Outside,” she replied before she looked at Nike and Hallie. “Go to sleep.”

The two women dropped to the ground, Emma closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Their heads were disturbing,” she told him.

“So were her memories.”

Another blast from outside followed by red light and a growl had Mike start for the door.

“Talk later, fight to get out now?” he asked, Emma chuckled.

“Must be Thursday,” she said as she got to the door and kicked it open. Mike steadied himself as he saw the battlefield before him; Logan and Alex were back to back, slashing out and sending plasma blasts in tandem as they fought with someone who was literally glowing green and firing at them. Bobby and Peter were charging forward, one in an armor of metal and the other in one of pure ice, fighting a woman with clawed hands.

Emma was about to step into the fray but Mike caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, pushed her back and swung out with his fists. He ducked when a punch was thrown his way, groaned when a kick landed on his side. He latched onto the man’s memories and pushed him against the wall when the shock caught him off guard. He was met with a ferociously feral.

“Bad man,” the man snarled.

“Please,” Emma rolled her eyes and soon the man was unconscious. “You ok?”

“Just another day at the office.”

Emma was going to say something but she stopped talking. Her hand went to her head, her eyes widened.

“We need to move now.”

“Well that seems to be the plan,” Mike said as he started to run towards the fight. He was more than a little baffled when the two mutants that the others had been fighting ran off at their approach. “We’re not that scary are we?”

“No…something’s up,” Bobby breathed out ice as the ice around his body disappeared and revealed his skin. “They seemed pretty intent on killing us.”

“Especially that one,” Colussus pointed to the retreating figure of the woman.

“Jupiter is back,” Emma said. “He’s not happy. Havok blast a hole in this goddamned wall right now. Kitty and Storm are outside. They’re going to blow this place up.”

There was silence as everyone stared at her. She gestured to the wall.

“There’s a series of bombs in the building and—”

“Right everyone stand back!” Alex shouted as he stepped forward. He sucked in a deep breath and brought his arms to his side. Mike felt the crackle of electricity in the air as the red rings started to form and spiral around his body. They cackled and sparked violently before he sent them straight through the wall. “Iceman cool it down.”

“Right,” Bobby nodded as he shot his arms out, Mike sucked in a cold breath as ice particles hit the heated metal, causing it to melt away at an even faster pace. Alex shot another ring, another blast of ice, another ring, another blast of ice until there was snow in their view.

“Colussus first, clear the path,” Alex ordered, Peter nodded and let the liquid metal cover his body once more before he charged forward, Bobby followed with his ice form fully intact. Mike was about to follow when Emma sucked in a breath beside him, he turned; she had donned her diamond form and looked at the remaining members of the X-Men.

“We should run now,” she suggested. Mike didn’t need to be told twice as he was shoved forward by Logan. He sprinted through the hole with them hot on his heels, ignored the burn in his lungs as he saw the jet in the distance. He pushed himself in ways he hadn’t ever before, willed his legs to keep going as he reached said jet and got up the bay doors. He fought his way to the cockpit where Kitty was phasing out of his way.

“Go, go, go!”

“Bay doors up,” Storm shouted as he threw himself into the seat beside her and strapped himself in. They worked in tandem to get of the aircraft going. They were flying, going as high as fast as they could but then he heard the boom below them and he cursed as he looked down at the instruments.  “Everyone brace yourselves.”

Mike turned his head to the side just in time to see Storm’s eyes glazing over in white, felt the jet stagger and shift with an added burst of wind. He grabbed the controls and did his best to keep the thing level as the wind carried them up and vibrations rocked the plane. He heard the distinct sounds of bodies crashing into the other, of curses but he ignored it all. He focused, felt the vibrations thrum through the metal and then it all stopped. He didn’t think twice, used the wind around them as the leverage he needed to get the plane even and going at a normal speed. It took him ten minutes before he felt safe to switch the cloak on and breathe.

“Everyone alright?” Storm called out as her eyes shifted back to their normal brown

“I’ll be better when Peter gets off of me,” Kitty grumbled.

“I’m sure that’s not what you wanted last night,” Bobby teased before he yelled. “OW!”

“Separate now,” Emma ordered.

Mike chuckled as he looked over at Storm.

“I think they’ll be fine,” he assured her as her expression sobered.

“It was bad?”

“It’s better if we talk at the mansion,” he told her.

“Then it’s bad,” she said. He nodded before he groaned.

“And I promised Hank we’d get his baby back in one piece. I’m dead.”

“Oh please,” Alex called out. “He’ll be grateful that you brought it back at all.”

-

He watched as the smoke from the burning base touched the sky behind them. The air smelled of sulfur with a hint of snow attached to it. It was cold but he simply felt warm with the anger pulsing through his mind. He had fallen for another of Xavier and Lensherr’s tricks and they hadn’t even graced him with their presence. They had sent their little underlings to do the job for them. They had tried to destroy them. Destroy his mission. Destroy his father’s legacy.

They would pay.

“Nike,” he barked, she straightened beside him.

“Yes?”

“How the fuck did they find us?” he hissed, she peered at him.

“I would think that’s obvious,” she responded coolly. “Xavier and Lensherr led them to us and then didn’t have the stones to come and attack themselves.”

He growled, she grinned.

“They want to destroy our vision,” she said. “They want to stop our plans.”

“NO!”

His shout startled the birds in the sky.

“Will you go back in time?” she asked, he shook his head.

“I am too taxed from my other efforts,” he said. “And it would do no good, they still know. No instead we will seek vengeance. I will see Xavier, Lensherr and their team suffer for the damage they have done to us. For the losses we have incurred. I will see the human world burn and us as rulers of them all.”

“You do your father’s memory proud,” she smiled. “So so proud my darling boy.”

“He will be avenged, come,” he led her through the trees and to the lake where their next mode of transport was waiting with Hallie and Krypto. The submarine was one of his most prized possessions, exactly like his father’s, but his would survive the battle.

“No more test runs, we send the world to its knees before us. We destroy Xavier and Lensherr at all costs and make them watch as their precious humans drown.”

-

Mike winced as Rogue touched a cotton ball with peroxide to his forehead.

“Sorry,” she said as she carefully cleaned a cut that he’d somehow managed to get on the mission.

“S’alright,” he smiled. “I’ve had worse.”

“Well,” she wiped the peroxide off and put a Band-Aid on the cut. “You’ll probably have a nice scar. How are your ribs?”

Mike moved his arms up and down, tankful for the t-shirt and track pants that Bobby had found for him a few minutes ago. He shrugged but winced again.

“Slight pain but nothing unbearable. I’m still alright to fight,” he assured her. She frowned.

“I wish we didn’t have to fight,” she sighed as she leaned against the medical table he had been perched on.

“I know,” he said. “But I think it’s going to come down to it. Jupiter’s plans are bad.”

“So we guessed,” she sighed. “Gotta love impending doom.”

“How are you doing?” he asked her with a nudge to the side, she shrugged.

“Some days are better than others,” she waved her hand in front of them. “I’ve had some time to come to peace with the fact that I’ll always have my powers.”

“They’re part of you Rogue,” he told her, she smiled.

“I know, but I refuse to believe that I won’t be able to touch people,” she responded. “I want to try and control it so I can without killin’ them.”

“You can do it,” Mike assured her. “And we’ll all help when this is over.”

“Really?” she asked. “You goin’ to stick around?”

Mike paused at the question though the answer was on the tip of his tongue. While he loved being a lawyer, loved Pearson Hardman, he’d missed the academy and its inhabitants like a phantom limb. Being back felt like it was reattached and he was whole again.

“I want to,” he told her. “I’d have to figure some things out with Gram first. You guys gonna take me back?”

Rogue rolled her eyes.

“In a heartbeat Wise Man,” she leaned over and pressed a very quick kiss to his cheek. “You’re one of us, Mike.”

“Stealing my girlfriend?” Bobby asked as he entered the room changed into track pants and a sweatshirt. Mike stuck his tongue out at him.

“You’re not getting rid of me that fast,” Rogue poked his chest. “Mike wants to come home.”

“Really?” Bobby’s eyes lit up.

“Really, but let’s get through this first before we start working on that,” Mike responded.

“About that, before we brief everyone Hank wanted to have a word with you,” Bobby nodded to the door where the doctor stepped into the room. “I just came to get my girlfriend.”

“We’ll see you in a minute,” Rogue assured as Bobby took her gloved hand in his and walked out of the room, the door shut behind them, Mike straightened up under Hank’s gaze.

“You’re not in trouble,” Hank grinned, Mike snorted as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Old habits die hard,” Mike responded. “What’s up?”

“Since you’ve returned I’ve had contacts keeping an eye out in case anyone tries to find you,” Hank replied. “And someone has been snooping around in your records.”

“What?” Mike startled. “Who would…Harvey Specter right?”

“Him and a woman named Vanessa,” Hank responded. “Do you know her?”

“Yeah, she’s the private eye he goes to and…fucking Harvey. I should have known that he’d do this,” Mike groaned as Hank’s lips quirked.

“He must care about you,” he mused.

“Or is just pissed because I left yesterday without so much as a word and I’m his associate, he owns me,” Mike replied. “Oh god if it flagged you guys what about…shit Gram.”

“Calm down,” Hank reached out and put a hang on Mike’s shoulder when he scrambled off of the bed. “And breathe.”

Mike tried to do what was being asked of him.

“But Gram…she can’t defend herself and if he keeps poking around-”

“Which is why he didn’t get very far,” Hank assured him. “Sean and I went through and erased any and all files on you in the system and then we made arrangements for your grandmother at a more secure location. Sean and Erik moved her here,” Hank put a business card in one of his hands. “She expects a visit when this is all over.”

Mike slumped as he took a look at the address on the card, he knew this facility, it was one of the best in New York and close to the mansion.

“Thank you,” he whispered, Hank nodded.

“We know how much she means to you.”

“Wait Erik moved her?”

“She had metal things, it seemed prudent,” Hank responded. “And it got his mind off of the mission for a while. Your grandmother apparently loved him.”

“She would,” Mike rolled his eyes. “Hank…about the mission. The things I saw…we have to tell Charles and Erik about what’s going to happen.”

“I know,” Hank shook his head. “Emma told us and we’ve agreed that they need to be told some things if we’re going to figure out how to stop Jupiter together.”

“Good,” Mike nodded. “We should get out there, start figuring things out and then I’ll start thinking about how to deal with Harvey Specter.”

Hank nodded and opened the door, stepping out after Mike did.

“If it helps we did call a Donna Paulsen and she seemed quite angry, and scary.”


	8. Breathe in, Breathe Out

**Part Eight: Breathe in, Breathe Out.**

Harvey stumbled through his apartment as he tried to wrap a towel around his waist. The knock on his door had gotten more insistent in the past five minutes and he wanted it to stop more so than he cared about his own dignity. Besides he had no reason to be ashamed of his body, he worked out; he made sure it was fit.

He was surprised to find that Donna was on the other end of his door, dressed for the day her with a ferocious look on her face.

“You,” she hissed as she stomped past him.

“Me?” Harvey asked as he closed the door and turned to face her. “What?”

“You’re putting him in danger,” Donna told him. “The more you look. The more suspicious it seems. Stop.”

 Harvey felt himself freeze.

“How did you know that I was looking?”

“I have my ways and you need to stop,” Donna told him.

“Donna, he’s my associate and he’s been hiding a pretty big fucking part of his life from me and then he disappeared and you said he might be in trouble,” Harvey crossed his arms over his chest, Donna just shook her head.

“And I also told you to let it be because there was more at stake here than just you,” she told him. “So I’m going to ask you one more time. Please stop. The lines are blurry enough without you trying to interfere.”

“Blurry lines?” Harvey asked. “What are you talking about?”

Donna closed her eyes and breathed.

“There’s a lot you don’t understand,” her voice was soft. “And a lot is about to happen.”

“Mike’s involved?”

Donna snorted.

“Of course he is,” she sighed. “I never expected to find—but yes he is.”

“Why won’t you tell me?” he asked, he knew sounded desperate but this was Donna and she looked worried and kept looking at her hands and then at him. Donna didn’t worry, she knew everything and if she was worried about Mike than he had to be too. “If he’s in trouble I’m not about to let him—”

“We’re all in trouble,” she said with a sad smile.

“What?” he was thoroughly confused now and he didn’t like it. He felt completely out of control.

“Your future will have to wait in favor of all of us having one.”

“You’re not making sense.”

“I’m sure if you think about it you’ll figure it out,” Donna’s eyes bore into his and he paused as an idea started to form in his head. She stood before him defiant and strong, eyes just daring him to say something negative about her. He could never do that. He would never do that to anyone he cared about.

“Stop, you said?”

She relaxed in front of him and nodded.

“Go get dressed, I’ll put on some coffee and we’ll start shredding the files you do have.”

-

The room had been silent for all of three minutes before Charles and Erik finally got annoyed, exchanged a look, and then Erik took the liberty to speak.

“We have been patient and abided by your requests what we need now is answers.”

“I have been staying out of your heads but I will—”

“There’s no need to go into them,” Alex told him. “We just…before we get into what was there we need to tell you about things.”

“Things that haven’t happened for you yet,” Sean explained at their confused expressions.

“Specifically concerning Sebastian Shaw,” Hank added, Erik tensed.

“What about that monster?”

“He’s dead,” Alex answered coolly, his gaze on Charles while Erik’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“How?”

“You killed him,” Charles murmured as his gaze went to Erik.

“You know that I was always going to—”

“I had hoped you would change your mind, my friend.”

“Charles I—”

“You two lovebirds can spat later,” Emma interrupted. “There’s more to this story.”

“It involves Shaw?” Erik asked. “If he is dead how is this possible?”

“Because Shaw had a sister who believed in his vision and wasn’t afraid to indoctrinate his son,” Mike answered as every eye in the room turned to him. He wasn’t surprised when the metal against the wall started to vibrate and he was equally unsurprised when Emma donned her diamond form.

“You knew,” Erik accused her. “You knew of this.”

“No, I didn’t, sugar,” she replied with an icy smile. “Stop trying to get to me.”

“Erik stop,” Charles put a hand on Erik’s arm. “Calm your mind my friend.”

“They tell us that Shaw is gone only for a son and sister to make an appearance? How am I to be calm Charles?” Erik whispered. “How?”

“By focusing on me,” Charles told him, Mike shifted in his seat. “Ms. Frost you had no knowledge of Shaw’s sister or child?”

“No,” she replied. “I may have been part of his team but even he didn’t tell us everything. He certainly kept that buried away from my skills.”

“Mike what else can you tell us?” Sean prompted.

“Depends on what you can tell us about Shaw,” Mike gestured to the younger mutants in the room. “What I can tell you is that his sister believes in mutant supremacy and when he died she made it her life’s mission to create another one of her brother with her nephew.”

“What of Jupiter’s mother?” Storm questioned, Mike shook his head.

“Mutant most definitely but killed by Shaw from what I got,” he replied.

“Shaw’s idea was the same thing,” Emma responded before Charles could. “He believed that we should be the higher species. That mutants should rule.”

“Don’t you mean that he should rule supreme?” Charles asked, Emma cocked her head to the side, diamonds flashed as she gave a grim smile.

“Among other things.”

“Well his sister was not happy when he died,” Mike replied. “And she brought Charles and Erik back for some reason. I couldn’t really get why.”

“I can guess,” Erik told them, all eyes shifted to him. “You say that we stopped him yes? That he is dead?”

“Very much so,” Sean replied.

“Which means his plans didn’t come to fruition,” Erik told them.

“Shaw wanted to start World War Three,” Charles finished.

“And he was getting close to doing it too,” Emma said as she eyed Erik. “Are you going to try and kill me again?”

“I make no promises,” Erik snapped, Charles’ grip on his arm tightened and he relaxed. Emma seemed to take that as a sign and let the diamonds fall away to her normal white pantsuit. “You honestly didn’t know?”

“I may have been Sebastian’s co-worker but I was still only a woman,” Emma replied. Kitty snorted, she turned a fond look to Kitty. “It was the sixties. Times were different. No I didn’t know Lensherr and for the record I never knew about what he did to you. So sit down and shut up so we can figure out what he wants.”

“Revenge,” Logan said suddenly with a look towards Mike. “From what he’s saying this kid blames Chuck and Erik for everything.”

“And if he were to remove the problem, his father would still be alive and his plans ready to go,” Storm offered.

“But he knows we know now,” Rogue said. “So he has to change his plans.”

“His Aunt, Nike, she had back-up plans. I don’t know what.”

“I can guess,” Kitty said. “From what I saw on her computer…a lot of contacts with foreign powers.”

“They want a repeat of Shaw’s plan,” Alex said. “In case we figure out how to stop it. They want to recreate it.”

“But it would worse this time around,” Hank’s eyes were wide. “Our technology is infinitely better which makes it more destructive.”

“So we must stop him,” Charles said. “You’ll need Erik and I for this. We won’t go.”

“Not until every member is gone,” Erik added, Charles frowned. “They’re all fucking parasites on society.”

“He was upset,” Emma said. “When we were leaving his anger was palpable.”

“What I don’t understand is why he didn’t go back in time,” Bobby said. “His power has to do with going back in time.”

“Because bringing you two back took a lot out of him.”

Everyone in the room turned towards the doorway and were greeted with the sight of Emma Frosts duplicate standing there. She gave a quirk of the lips to her counterpart before the skin fell away to blue ridges. Mike felt the shift of chairs and found himself on his feet as red hair and yellow eyes became apparent.

“Mystique.”

“Raven.”

The yellow eyes left the view of the group and focused on the two members pushing forward above all else. The grave blue face shifted into a smile.

“It’s really you,” she murmured. Charles nodded.

“It really is, you look good,” he told her, she gave a choked laugh before she raced forward and threw herself into his arms. Charles looked surprised but embraced her all the same. Mike looked at everyone to find the younger ones staring at the scene in shock.

“Someone want to explain this to us?” Logan asked. “Because last time I checked she was our enemy.”

“Enemy?” Charles asked as Raven pulled away from the embrace but stayed close. “How could my sister possibly be our enemy?”

Silence.

“Sister?” Bobby squeaked. “You and—”

“Oh fuck me,” Logan muttered, Raven turned her blue head towards him and grinned.

“I tried that, you said no,” she told him.

“Raven what’s going on? Why do they…?”

“A lot’s happened,” she replied. “So much, Charles.”

“Why are you here?” Storm asked

“I called her,” Emma spoke up. “She and I have been in contact ever since her powers returned. I thought she would be useful to our purposes.”

“And willing to help,” Raven added.

“Why now?” Hank asked her. “You’ve never…”

“I’m allowed to have a change of heart and—” she gave both Charles and Erik a fond smile. “Charles is still my brother. And I have no desire to die by the offspring of Sebastian Shaw.”

“What have you been up to?” Sean asked before anyone else could add an insult.

“I took out one of Shaw’s associates during your mission,” Raven waved a flash drive in front of Hank’s face. “I think you’ll find that useful.”

“I…thank you,” Hank took the drive and pocketed it.

“You said something about Jupiter being weak?”

“Time jumping takes a lot out of him and bringing these two here,” she gestured to Charles and Erik. “And getting hit with Charles’s powers took a lot out of him. He’s recovering quickly though.”

“So we need to get to him quickly,” Erik added in a clipped tone.

“I hate to agree but he’s right,” Logan sighed. “Attacking before he can go back and rewrite history is the smart idea.”

“We still need a plan,” Storm interrupted before she looked at Mystique and sighed. “It seems we need your help.”

“How do we know she can be trusted?” Kitty asked.

“Because I trust her,” Charles told them all.

“I trust her too,” Emma added. Kitty pursed her lips but didn’t say anything.

“We don’t have time to waste on this,” Mystique told them. “We need to strike while we can. Hank I’ll help you go through the files I got…if you’ll let me.”

There was silence for a few minutes before Hank nodded and held his hand out.

“Welcome back,” he said, Mystique gifted him with a small smile as she shook it.

“We should train,” Bobby said suddenly. “His associates knew how to fight.”

“It would be wise for you to brush up,” Piotr told Mike who nodded.

“It’s a good idea but I need to head into the city first.”

“The city?” Rogue asked. “Why?”

“My boss is trying to find me.”

“We did take care of that,” Sean offered.

“I know,” Mike smiled. “And thank you for making sure Gram is safe. But if the world is going to end I’m going to be with all of you when it happens trying to stop it. I love being a lawyer but this is home and I want to come back on a more permanent basis.”

Storm smiled and walked over to hug him.

“You were always welcome back,” she whispered.

“And now the team is really back together,” Piotr and Bobby bumped fists.

“Damn straight.”

“The jet will be relatively safe,” Hank muttered.

“If I leave now I’ll get to the law firm when mostly everyone is gone. I won’t cause a scene,” Mike replied. “And I’d like to get some clothes from my apartment.”

“Go,” Logan said. “Call if there’s trouble. We’ll start training tomorrow and hopefully have a plan.”

Mike nodded and turned to walk back up to his room and change into jeans. He was stopped by an arm around his waist; he glanced around to find his friends around him.

“So…did you really think you were going to face this alone?” Bobby asked.

“Because last time we checked we were a team,” Rogue added.

“And there’s nothing like a trip into the city,” Kitty smiled brightly.

“But what about planning and-”

“And they’ll be fine for a few hours. I imagine Mystique and the others have a lot discuss,” Piotr surmised.

“In other words it’s going to get really awkward and you don’t want to be there,” Mike eyed them all, they shrugged.

“Yep.”

“Pretty much.”

“Can you blame us?”

He laughed.

“I guess not, let’s get dressed and meet in the garage in fifteen minutes?”

-

“You work here?”

“Worked,” Mike reiterated as he looked at his four friends who were all but gaping at the building in front of them. “I’m pretty sure I got fired when I walked out and disappeared. Companies don’t usually look too kindly on that.”

“I guess they wouldn’t,” Rogue shrugged.

“But what do you expect when you’re a superhero?” Kitty asked.

“Yeah. Fate of the world and all that jazz,” Piotr offered.

“You two are so sweet it’s giving me cavities,” Bobby told them.

Mike snorted before he took a breath.

“You guys coming up with me?”

“Duh,” Rogue pushed him towards the door. “Lead the way Wise Man.”

He nodded before he took a breath and walked past the security desk with a nod towards the guard, who conveniently forgot that they were there the moment they got into the elevator. The ride up seemed to take forever as he ran through all the possible scenarios in his head. The chances were that his desk was already cleared out and some new associate’s things were already there. The chances were that Harvey hated him and wouldn’t even see him. The odds were not in his favor but he had to do this. He owed Harvey some sort of explanation. He deserved that much from Mike before he left for who knew how long with a very strong possibility of not coming back.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” Kitty reached out and squeezed his hand. Mike looked at her.

“You’ve never met my boss, he’s…stubborn.”

“And you aren’t?” Bobby teased.

Mike breathed as the doors dinged open and was surprised to find Louis Litt standing on the other side. The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Louis’ eyes drifted to the people beside him. Mike felt them all tense up but put a hand out as his mind caught onto memories of a little boy with an exceptional eye for numbers and a visit from a professor who wanted to help him.

“Louis.”

“Mike.”

“Well this is awkward,” Piotr muttered.

“Always knew there was something funny about you Ross,” Louis said, Mike’s lips twitched as he shrugged.

“Likewise,” Mike replied. “The numbers thing?”

“How did you…telepath?” he asked.

“Memory actually,” Mike responded.

“Memory,” he replied.

“Corporeal form,” Kitty piped up, the others chuckled as Mike gave her a fond smile. Louis’s lips lifted into a small grin before he narrowed his eyes.

“Is it bad?”

“Going to be,” Mike replied. “I’m leaving the firm.”

“I see,” Louis replied. “You know we have a non-discrimination policy right?”

“I know, but…I think it’s time I went home,” Mike nodded to the others.

“You’re one of them aren’t you? One of Xavier’s?”

Mike nodded.

“You never took his help.”

“I had it under control by the time he came to see if I’d want to attend school,” Louis replied. “I was sixteen and had my life planned out. Look,” he glanced around. “My powers aren’t useful in a fight but I can see that all of your employee files are deleted, your name erased from our system. If anyone comes looking for you I’ll say you were a lackluster employee that we let go.”

Mike had never liked Louis more than in this moment.

“Thank you,” he replied. “I have to go-”

“I know,” Louis nodded towards Harvey’s office. “Good luck with that. And with—”

“It’s going to get bad,” Mike warned. Louis nodded.

“Figured as much when I saw you show up with four other X-Men,” he said. “I’ll take my chances out here. Now I’m going to go drink.”

Louis left them to get into the elevator without another word.

“That was the nicest conversation he and I have ever had,” Mike informed everyone.

“He seems…well kind of like a dick actually,” Rogue commented.

“He’s a lawyer, they’re all dicks,” Mike told her. “Come on Harvey’s office is this way.”

They brushed past the associate cubicles and he was surprised to find that his things were still there but he made no move to get them. They weren’t important. Instead they all walked to Donna’s desk, she looked up before their approach and her mouth dropped open at the sight of them.

“Jesus,” she mumbled as she waved her hand in front her them all. Kitty started to move but Mike shook his head.

“She’s one of us,” he promised. “On our side too.”

“What are you doing?”

“Reading you,” Donna replied with a shudder. “What happened?”

“Oh, impending doom the usual,” Mike responded before he glanced into the office and found that Harvey was indeed there with his eyes trained on him, looking none too pleased. “Can I go in?”

“What are you going to do?” Donna asked.

“If I were smart I’d use my powers,” Mike replied, Donna arched an eyebrow and he shook his head. “But I won’t. I just…I’m going to-”

 “You’re leaving,” she stated. “Quitting.”

“I have to,” Mike replied. “What’s going on is serious and they need me more than Harvey does.”

“They do?” Donna looked at the others who stiffened next to him.

“Fate of the world and the future trumps lawyers,” Peter responded, Donna’s lips quirked.

“Maybe it does,” Donna responded before her gaze shifted back to Mike. “This is really what you want?”

“Its home,” he responded. “In a way this place never will be. I don’t hide there.”

 “Go on in.”

“We’ll stay out here with…”

“Donna. And I’m intrigued, not every day I get to meet other mutants.”

Mike shook his head and left them to talk as he headed into Harvey’s office and closed the door behind him. Harvey made no move to get up from his desk and greet him. Mike winced, though he guessed he deserved it as he stood there and tried to figure out what to say.

“You disappeared yesterday,” Harvey spoke. “Disappeared and haven’t made any form of contact. You’re cell phone was off. It’s never off. And…where were you? Why did I have to listen to Louis and Donna, _Louis_ of all people defend you?”

“I can’t tell you where I was,” Mike replied. “You shouldn’t have tried looking for me Harvey.”

“You left after dropping a pretty fucking big bombshell,” Harvey informed him. “I wanted to know why but couldn’t because apparently have some very powerful friends that I also didn’t know about. So you have five minutes to explain what the hell is going on.”

“So much,” Mike responded. “So much that I can’t tell you. I just…I came to tell you goodbye.”

There was silence in the room as Harvey raised an eyebrow at him. Mike met his stare with one of his own. He would normally crumble under that look but right now he wasn’t just Mike and this wasn’t about his job. He was Wise Man and the whole fucking world was at stake.

“So you’re tapping out?” Harvey stood and approached him. Mike steeled himself for the lecture that was coming. “I thought you wanted to be better.”

“I do, and I am, I will be,” Mike nodded. “Just not here anymore. It’s….this has been amazing Harvey but we can’t do this anymore.”

“Is it because you’re a mutant?” Harvey’s voice was quiet. “Do you think that I’ll…Mike no one has to know. No one will know. You can hide it. I mean…I can’t even tell…what can you do?”

Mike felt himself stiffen.

“Think about it and you’ll figure it out,” he responded. “And I…the only reason I hid it around here was because it was safer here. I know people would use it against me and I’m not looking to go insane anytime soon. I’m not ashamed.”

“I never said you were and it doesn’t matter to me,” Harvey informed him. “But you kept it from me and now you show up with an entourage to tell me you’re quitting. What the hell is going on rookie?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Mutant business.”

“There’s no such thing as…”

“Harvey you’re the best closer in the city, you are ridiculously smart but I promise that there are things that even you don’t understand,” Mike chuckled as Harvey’s eyes narrowed. “All you need to know is that the world’s a pretty scary place right now.”

“So you’re running away?”

Mike snorted.

“No, more like running towards it,” he replied.

“And what about your grandmother? She still needs you.”

“She does and she’s being taken care of,” Mike replied.

 “How? You’re her sole source of support.”

“Believe it or not Harvey I have other friends besides you,” Mike replied. “She’s being well cared for at a safe location. Look,” he chanced a glance outside and found everyone hunched over Donna’s desk with her, and yep they were definitely listening in. The all looked up and sent him sympathetic looks. “This has been the best opportunity and I am forever grateful for everything you’ve done for me-”

“Then why are you leaving?” Harvey asked. “You can do something with yourself here Mike. Something safe.”

Mike smiled.

“Safe really isn’t part of the game with me anymore, I’m….I’m going to go home,” Mike told him quietly. “You’ve become one of my best friends but I’m so tired of playing the games that comes with what we’re doing. It gets to you after a while.”

“Mike…no,” Harvey put a hand on his shoulder.

“I promise that after this is over. If I’m…if it works, then I’ll come over and explain some things,” Mike told him. “Until then please stop looking for me.”

“That a threat?”

“I can make it one,” Mike replied simply. “I don’t want to though. Just…you’re putting me at risk.”

“Mike.”

He stepped away from Harvey.

“I need to go now, thank you,” he emphasized the last words and tried to smile again. This was harder than he thought it would be but when he thought about it, safer. So much safer and right. He was tired of pretending, he’d always planned on going back to the mansion, but his grandmother had come first.

“Just…we shredded things this morning,” Harvey responded and he sounded confused. “I expect an explanation soon.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

He breathed as he left Harvey’s office and was embraced by Kitty and fist bumped Bobby, Piotr, and Rogue. He buried his head against her shoulder when she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“You did the right thing Wise Man,” she murmured.

“God I hope so,” he mumbled.

 “Wise Man?” Donna snorted as Mike and Kitty separated and turned to look at her. “That’s what you go by?”

“Donna…” he walked over to her desk, she frowned.

“I know why you’re going, I know that you have to, though I never quite expected to find out you were a superhero,” she told him. “But don’t say goodbye alright? That means I won’t see you again.”

“Do you know something I don’t?”

“No,” she shook her head. “The future is fickle. I see blurry lines right now. It’s…different.”

“We’ll take blurry over nothing,” Bobby offered as the rest of them nodded. .

“I will kill you if you ever repeat this to anyone but…be safe alright? Don’t do anything too dumb,” Donna warned.

“I’ll try,” Mike chanced it and leaned down to give her a hug. He was surprised when she returned it. “This could be bad for all of us,” he murmured in her ear. “You know you can come to the mansion right?”

“I know,” she whispered. “But for now I’ll stick around here. If I…If I get anything I’ll let you know alright?”

“Deal,” he pulled away and then glanced back at Harvey’s office where the other man was staring at them. “Think he’ll keep trying to find me?”

“I don’t…possible we both know that whole I don’t care thing is bullshit,” she told him. Mike was about to say something when Rogue’s communicator went off. He turned to watch as she answered and stepped away to talk into it.

“Everything alright?” Piotr asked when she came back. She nodded.

“Just checking in,” she responded.

“Go on,” Donna nodded towards the hall. “Go save the world.”

“It’s what we do,” Mike saluted before he headed back down the hall and to the elevators. Donna waited until she was sure the group of young mutants were gone before she went into Harvey’s office, where he had migrated to the couch.

“He’s a superhero?”

“I should have known you’d be listening,” she sighed as she took a seat beside him. Harvey looked at her.

“He’s a superhero,” he repeated, Donna nodded. “And there’s something bad happening in the mutant world?”

“Bad, catastrophic, going to destroy the fabric of our universe,” Donna replied, Harvey dropped his head back onto the couch and groaned.

“He’s going to try and stop it?”

“He’s part of the team who will,” she patted his knee. “You’re going to worry, I’m going to worry, but we need to back off because he needs us to. He needs to focus on this.”

“How is he a superhero?”

“That’s a story for Mike to tell you.”

“What if…what if he doesn’t…”

“Well then we’ll all be dead and it won’t matter.”

“Donna you really know how to comfort a man.”

“It’s what they pay me the big bucks for.”


	9. Forging Paths

**Part Nine: Forging Paths**

He stared at the map on the screen before him and grinned as he turned to look at Nike.

“You’ve outdone yourself Auntie,” he gestured to the figures and projections lighting it up.

“It was nothing really, just going back and fine tuning what Sebastian had planned,” she replied.

“Did he do something wrong?” Jupiter asked, she shook her head.

“Your father was perfect Jupiter,” she smiled. “Perfect in every way like you are. I just had to update it for the time period. Technology is more advanced now for everyone.”

“I want Xavier and Lensherr for myself,” he warned. “I won’t be denied my kill.”

“You’ll have them, they won’t be able to stop pursuing us,” she promised. “Until then we continue on with our plans.”

“Either way we have blood to shed.”

-

“You’re slower than you used to be,” Logan remarked with a frown as he helped Mike up from the ground.

“Not really a lot of time to practice self-defense as a first year associate,” Mike remarked as he stretched his arms out and wipe his sweaty forehead on the sleeve of his t-shirt. “I’ll be ready to fight if the need arises.”

“When this is over we’ll step up your training,” Logan told him. “Get you back to where you were when you left.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Mike nodded. “Are we done for the day? Hank wanted to go over some flight schematics with me.”

“Go on,” Logan nodded towards the door. “We’ll pick up again later tonight.”

Mike jogged out of room, grabbed a towel and bottle of water, he chugged it as he walked towards the hanger bay. He paused outside of the room when he saw that it was filled with Hank, Alex, and Sean.

“This is weird,” Sean said. “All we need is Moira and it’s like we’re back in the sixties.”

“Not exactly,” Alex muttered. “I still can’t believe that Emma called Mystique.”

“It’s not exactly a shock,” Hank told the both of them. “She got us good intelligence.”

“Spend a late night with her Beast?” Alex teased, Hank’s fur turned purple, Alex and Sean gaped.

“No, you and…what?” Sean asked.

“We didn’t do anything like that,” Beast growled. “But I had to work with her in order to decipher what she’d brought. We talked.”

“And?”

“She seemed sincere about wanting to help, shocked like the rest of us.”

“Where is she now?” Sean looked around.

“Spending time with Charles,” Hank replied. “She’s missed him.”

“We’ve all missed him,” Alex sighed.

“Both of them, we’ve missed both of them, at least…this Erik. The one before it all went to shit,” Sean remarked. “I’d forgotten how…I’d just forgotten so much.”

“Same,” Alex sighed. “I keep wondering what if things had…just they know about Shaw now. Think that will change anything?”

“It’s possible,” Hank replied. “We’ll address that when we come to it.”

The silence in the room and Mike took that as his cue to enter.

“Hank you said you wanted to talk to me?”

All three men looked up at his entrance and immediately shook themselves.

“Yes please come in, I thought we’d take the jet up today, get you over water again.”

“Water?” Mike asked.

“Jupiter really wants to be like his dad,” Sean told him. “Has a nice shiny submarine like Shaw’s that’s on its way to Russia as far as we can tell.”

“I thought we were friends with them now?” Alex asked. Sean shrugged.

“Depends on who you ask. I think they’re using Russia as a base to get to the really good stuff.”

“And then if it all goes south no blame falls on them,” Alex nodded. “Of course.”

“Guys?” Mike asked, Hank grinned.

“Come on, get changed into your suit and we’ll take it up. We want to be good for this mission as soon as possible.”

“I’m going to call Darwin, give him an update,” Alex nodded.

“Tell him we say hi.”

-

 “You won’t tell me what’s happened will you?” Charles asked as he and Raven walked along the garden. She had donned clothes at Storm’s request but remained blue, her yellow eyes sad as she shook her head.

“It’s too much of a story Charles,” she responded. “But they have every right not to trust me. If I were them I wouldn’t trust me.”

“For every good thing I see in this time, in this world, it seems there’s something bad to accompany it,” he said. “I’ve established this school, it’s filled with children that need help controlling their abilities but neither you or Erik are here to run it with me. Half of our family is missing. How is that right?”

“Charles I wish I could tell you-there’s so much I want to tell you but-,” Raven told him.

“But they won’t let you tell me, they won’t even let me in,” Charles grumbled.

“You can’t break through Emma’s defenses?” Raven asked. He shook his head.

“I could but I don’t trust myself to do it without seriously damaging her,” he sighed. “I won’t risk that.”

“I’ve missed that attitude,” Raven smiled.

Charles was about to say something to that but paused when they walked past the railing in the garden and saw Erik standing there, staring at the satellite dish in the distance.

“Go to him,” Raven said, Charles looked at her in surprise.

“I’m walking with you.”

“He needs you more than I do right now,” she said. “And you’ve always needed each other. Go. We’ll talk later,” she pressed a kiss to his cheek before she took off towards the house. Charles decided to take her advice and approached Erik, said nothing to him as he leaned on the railing next to him. They were silent for a time.

“I think,” Erik began. “I think that I’ve figured out why we are not together in this time.”

“Erik,” Charles tried to speak but Erik shook his head.

“It must be because of Shaw. Because I killed him,” Erik told him. “And you do not want that end.”

“I do not believe that killing him will bring you the peace you so desire,” Charles told him.

“It’s never been about peace Charles; it’s always been about avenging my mother and what was done to me but it seems that that will cost me you,” Erik remarked, Charles reached out and shook his head.

“Haven’t we been through this Erik? There is more to you than rage my friend,” Charles murmured. “So much more.”

“I was built to be a monster.”

“Monsters don’t have hearts,” Charles told him. “And the fact that you are so concerned about losing me shows that you have one.”

“I’m not sure,” Erik grumbled even as Charles inched closer so they were touching, slid his hand to rest against Erik’s heart.

“You do,” Charles reassured him as Erik’s hand came up to cover Charles, a smile on his face at the wave of affection flowed through them both. “I feel it beating right there. Strong and sure, it is because of this that I know we can find a way to deal with Shaw together. You’re never going to be alone Erik.”

“I’m not?”

“No, I refuse to let you because that means that I am alone.”

“You have this,” Erik gestured to the school. “To look forward to.”

“I do, but what about my heart? No one knows me like you.”

That’s because no one could put up with you as I do,” Erik teased, Charles rolled his eyes. “I still want Shaw dead Charles. Nothing will change that desire. I don’t think…I don’t think I can be at peace in a world where I know he still walks.”

 “I’ve thought about it,” Charles sighed. “No one will be able to hold him unless I’m there and he has that damn helmet off.”

“So are we in agreement about him?”

“No, not yet,” Charles responded, Erik frowned. “Let us worry about one monster at a time. We need to focus on Jupiter and getting home and then we can change the future.”

“Change it how?”

“Do you want me by your side?”

“Always, we’re in this together you and I,” Erik told him. Charles nodded.

“Then we’ll forge a path a together.”

“Charles! Erik!”

Both men broke away from their talk, turned and found Sean peeking his head out of the window.

“Yes Sean?” Charles asked.

“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but you need to see this.”

The two exchanged a look, nodded, and then jogged to the back door that Sean was now holding open for them. He looked nonplussed with the glare Erik shot his way.

“You secretly love me,” he assured Erik who snorted.

“I tolerate you.”

“Uh huh,” Sean pointed to the main room. “Everyone’s in there.”

The three walked into the room to find every member of the team crowded around the television, watching the news broadcast with alert eyes and frowns on their face.

“We can confirm at this time that Russia munitions factories have been stockpiling and moving their contents to a remote island in the pacific. At this time the Russian government refuses to acknowledge that it is happening or comment on the suspicious behavior. The President has announced that the United States will be sending ships to investigate.”

“Son of a bitch,” Alex swore. “It’s happening all over again.”

“I thought they’d go for somewhere in the Middle East,” Hank said. “That seemed far more likely.”

“He really wants to be like his father doesn’t he?” Sean asked.

“We must act,” Erik told them all. “Quickly and decisively. I would recommend we leave tomorrow.”

“I agree,” Storm informed everyone. “If we get there before the ships do chances are we can stop a nuclear war.”

“Everyone take the rest of the day,” Charles stepped forward. “Do what needs to be done to secure the school. Tomorrow we go.”

There was silence as everyone looked at Charles and then each other.

“I’m going to check the jet over, Raven,” Hank looked at her. “Come with me?”

“Of course,” she responded. “Whatever you need.”

“We’ll go inform the older students,” Piotr nodded to Kitty.

“I’m going to call Da-our associates,” Alex said.

“Come Erik, we’ll walk some more,” Charles told him calmly. Erik nodded and they left the room again.

“Interrupted them did you?” Alex asked. Sean nodded.

“Interrupted what?” Storm asked.

“The Professor and Erik, they had a thing back in the day,” Sean responded casually, Logan and Storm stopped and stared at them.

“I’m sorry? Chuck and Magneto used to…”

“Make with the horizontal tango?” Raven supplied as she stood with Beast and grinned. “Oh yes. Remember when they thought they were being subtle?”

“Oh yeah, except they definitely weren’t,” Alex chuckled. “Everyone heard them sneaking into one another’s room.”

“And saw those hickies that one time,” Hank pointed out.

“Worst kept secret ever,” Sean added.

“You know I thought I smelled them all over each other the first time they tried to recruit me,” Logan mused and them shrugged. “Good to know my senses weren’t wrong.”

“And with that I’m traumatized for life,” Mike said.

“Same.”

“Me too.”

“Did not need that image in my head.”

“I need a drink.”

“Can we make that ten?”

“I’m going to check on security for the mansion before this gets any weirder,” Bobby announced. “Mike you in?”

“Oh dear god yes,” he stood up and went to the door with Bobby.

-

“Do you think it’ll be different?”

Mike turned his head on the pillow to look at Kitty, who had herself sprawled against Piotr’s chest, Rogue and Bobby were in a similar position on the other side of them. The five of them had managed to fit on one bed together, snug but comfortable, reminiscent of days spent in each other’s rooms when they had been students.

“Will what be different?”

“Everything,” Kitty replied. “Now that Charles and Erik know about Shaw, about what’s going to happen to them.”

“It is tragic,” Rogue told them all. “Like I said, Erik’s greatest regret was how things ended between the two of them.”

“But not enough to change it before it got too bad,” Bobby pointed out.

“I don’t know if change was an option,” Mike replied. “We may not know much about Cuba but we know about Sebastian Shaw and what he did to Erik. If we were in his position what would we do?”

“We have no way of knowing what will happen,” Piotr shrugged. “If they change it we can only hope it will be for the better.”

“And we’ll still be together? All of us?” Kitty asked.

“I think we were meant to find each other,” Piotr told her. “There is no life where we are not friends.”

“Speaking of life,” Rogue pointed at Mike. “What was up with you and your boss?”

“Nothing,” Mike replied. Kitty and Rogue narrowed their eyes. “Seriously it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure? Because it looked like something,” Kitty informed him.

“Harvey is-he’s become a friend,” Mike sighed. “He was there when I needed someone to kick my ass.”

All four of his friends turned to narrow their eyes at him.

“We would have been there had you told us what was happening,” Bobby grumbled.

“I know,” Mike placated. “And I’m sorry for that. Not exactly some of my best moments.”

He settled back on the bed with a sigh. Harvey had become an important part of his life, had been there when he had been floundering. He had provided him with a direction and a purpose and somewhere along the way he had become a friend.

“Can I ask why you haven’t slept with him by now?” Rogue asked. “Because if I were you’d I’d be all over that.”

Bobby eyed her.

“Something you want to tell me.”

Rogue patted his chest.

“Too shark-like for me but Mike on the other hand,” she grinned. “I think you’d have fun trying to tame that beast.”

“He was pretty, smart too,” Kitty pointed out. “You like smart.”

“I do,” Mike mused. “But there are a number of reasons that I did not get all over that. Point one, he’s my boss, point two, he likes women and only does one night stands. Point three, Jenny and I started dating.”

“And how did that work out?” Piotr asked. Mike winced.

“Dumped me for being a workaholic,” he replied.

“You know he’s not your boss anymore,” Bobby grinned. “So you could definitely-”

“Did we forget the part where I said he liked women?” Mike asked.

“Never hurts to try and he looked like he wanted to try with you,” Kitty patted his chest. “And what better time than now?”

Her questions caused them all to quiet down. Tomorrow was the day that could quite possibly end them or change the world as they knew it. Everything was riding on them winning, and Mike knew that it was going to be hard to do it. Jupiter was someone driven by revenge and pure hatred. Their battles with Magneto had always revolved around more than that. Not to mention that was his first big mission with the team.

“This might be bad,” Bobby said after a minute.

“Very probably will be,” Piotr added. “We know next to nothing about Jupiter.”

“We know he’s crazy,” Kitty muttered.

“He never had a chance not to be,” Mike pointed out.

“We still need to stop him,” Rogue pointed out. “Or die trying.”

 _Or die trying._ The words lingered in Mike’s mind. That was a very real possibility tomorrow and there were only two things that were worrying him; his grandmother being left alone and the fact that he might not get a chance to explain things to Harvey. He’d spoken to gram earlier and she’d just told him to be safe, he knew she’d be looked after in the event of things taking a turn for the worse that was at least mildly comforting. But Harvey, he’d be left in the dark about everything. That thought didn’t sit too well with Mike because his former boss was also a good friend.

“If I go into the city tonight—” Mike sucked in a breath as a cell phone was tossed onto his chest, he looked at Kitty and found her grinning.

“Call Kurt, he’ll take you,” she instructed. “Bring the phone with you when you want to come back.”

“Be back by five,” Bobby told him. “And get some sleep.”

“We need you on form tomorrow,” Piotr added. “Especially if you’re driving the jet.”

“And good luck,” Rogue smiled. “We want details.”

Mike grinned as he sat up and pressed the necessary numbers, brought the phone to his ear and waited until he heard the familiar accent on the other end.

“Hey Kurt I need a favor.”


	10. Flashback

**Part Ten: Flashback**

As he rode up in the private glass elevator, Harvey honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d come home from work this late all alone. He had had to spend his day playing catch-up on all of the work Mike had left behind with his departure. In the back of his mind Harvey had known the amounts of work his associate had done but seeing it come to life was another thing.

Life. Mike. The two things had also preoccupied his thoughts ever since Mike had last been in his office. Harvey found himself paying attention to the news more often, regarding the accounts of what was happening with Russia warily because his associate had said it was mutant business and he was also apparently a superhero. Harvey had so many damn questions that he wanted answers to but he’d done as Mike had asked, he’d stopped, though it was mostly because Mike knew more powerful people than Harvey apparently did.

The entire situation unsettled him and he wanted nothing more than to pour a glass of scotch put on a record and relax before tomorrow started.

Those thoughts went out of the window as the elevator stopped, the doors opened, and he was greeted with the sight of Mike sitting on his couch, two empty glasses and a decanter of what looked like his scotch in front of them. He looked up as Harvey managed to get out of the elevator without stumbling and eyed him. He looked nervous as he sat there in his jeans and white t-shirt, the cut on his face had healed a little more, but there were a few more bruises on his arms that hadn’t been there the last time they’d seen each other.

“Hi.”

Harvey stared at him for all of two seconds before he dropped his briefcase onto the chair and worked his tie loose to drop it, along with his jacket on the back of it. He turned his gaze back and found that Mike was still sitting there.

“Do I want to know how you got past the security in my building?”

Mike chuckled.

“I know a few people that can walk through walls,” he replied. Harvey sat down on the couch because while the security for the building was great it definitely didn’t account for things like that. He didn’t think they could even stop it if they wanted to. He watched as Mike poured a drink into one glass and pushed it towards him.

“And you broke in so you could drink my good scotch rookie?”

“I didn’t break in,” Mike wrinkled his nose. “I’m on the list of approved people for you. I just chose other methods because it was faster.”

“Right,” Harvey sighed as he held his glass up and eyed it suspiciously. Mike rolled his eyes.

“It’s not poisoned,” he promised.

 “You’ll have to excuse me for being cautious,” Harvey took a tentative sip, waited, decided that Mike hadn’t done anything to his drink and took another mouthful. The burn felt good. He’d needed this. “You going to pour yourself a drink rookie?”

“I can’t drink,” Mike replied, Harvey snorted.

“I know that’s a lie, you can drink, you’ve shown up here drunk,” he countered, Mike shook his head.

“Let me rephrase: I try to avoid drinking because it hinders my control over my powers,” he responded. The words made Harvey stop and look at him, he looked tired and wary, hardened in a way Harvey had never seen. It was unsettling on his usually happy and approval seeking associate.

“Why are you here Mike? I thought you quit.”

“I did,” Mike took a breath. “But I promised you some answers and I thought that you deserved them tonight.”

Harvey sat up as he spoke and eyed Mike, he looked serious. Harvey wanted to ask why now, why tonight, but the more curious part of him told those other questions to kindly shut the hell up. He would ask those later, after the more important ones were quelled.

“You want to give me answers,” Harvey repeated because he had to be sure. Mike paused.

“I was thinking…it might be easier to show you instead,” he responded quietly.

“Show me?”

“My powers…I deal in memories,” Mike responded. “I can see into people’s memories, change them, and erase them if I have to.”

“You…so in our first meeting?”

“I’ve always been interested in the law,” Mike told him. “I just pulled the answers from your memories in law school and the court room.”

“And you want to—”

“Pull you into my memories,” Mike finished. “But I should warn you that it can get really intense. You’d feel everything I’ve felt and experienced.”

“And my memories?”

“There’s a chance that I’d see them,” Mike replied. “But I’d do my best to stay out. I promise my control is good. I won’t change them if that’s what you’re implying. And if you’re not comfortable with this then we can just talk. I don’t have that much time but we’ll do what we can and-”

“Ok,” Harvey surprised himself with the answer. He probably shouldn’t be alright with allowing someone to go into his head like that, it was a risk, but there was a part of him that whispered that this was harder for Mike. Mike would have to use his powers and it’d be his memories.

“Ok?” Mike asked.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Finish your drink,” Mike instructed. Harvey downed it in one go, winced at the burn this time, and turned back to Mike who looked more than amused. “The alcohol is going to make it easier for you to relax and for me to pull you in.”

“I can relax just fine rookie,” Harvey told him. Mike chuckled.

“Then you do just that,” Mike informed him as he reached out and grabbed his hand. Harvey startled when he felt a prickling of energy between their skin. “Skin to skin contact makes it easier too.”

“If you wanted to get naked all you had to do was say so,” he teased, Mike was quiet.

“Maybe later,” he countered after a minute, his blue eyes focused on Harvey’s face, it made Harvey swallow, his throat suddenly dry as their hands threaded together.

“Where are we starting?”

“The beginning,” Mike replied. “You ready?”

“And willing,” Harvey reiterated. Mike smiled and took a breath.

“Here we go,” he warned.

Harvey was surprised by the way the living room and its view of the city slipped away to give way to the black of the night and a body that definitely wasn’t his own.

 _It was cold, so cold, and he couldn’t see anything. His head hurt a lot._

 _“Mom? Dad?”_

 _There was no answer. He was scared. Mom and dad always talked to him in the car. They’d been on the way to grandma’s for dinner, talking about school at the stoplight when there had been a crash. The world had gone black for a few minutes and now all he could see was the dark and he could hear sirens in the background. The crunch of glass made him scream as someone pushed through the dark. Glaring light burst into his vision and a face of a man appeared._

 _“We got someone alive back here! I need medics! Kid can you hear me?”_

 _He nodded. The man looked relieved in the faint light._

 _“Alright can you tell me your name?”_

 _“M-Mike.”_

 _“Mike, my name is Brady, you were in a car accident, we’re going to get you out and to the hospital.”_

 _“W-what about mom and dad?”_

 _Brady didn’t say anything but the grimace on his face and the picture of his parent’s lifeless bodies in the front seat was enough of an answer. He stopped talking then and wondered why he could see that picture clear as day when he hadn’t moved his head to look._

Harvey shuddered through the first memory, could feel Mike’s hand squeeze his as he slipped back into another one.

 _He sat outside of the guidance counselor’s office as he waited for Gram to finish talking to the woman who was supposedly concerned about his development. He hated that woman. She didn’t understand anything. No one understood about the things he saw in his head. No one got how much his head hurt and the pictures he saw. He didn’t understand it._

 _His head hurt a lot these days._

 _“Mike.”_

 _He looked up and found Gram standing there with the guidance counselor. He narrowed his eyes at the woman as he saw the meeting flash before his eyes, the woman telling Gram that he needed help and was he acting out, she had the number of a good counselor who did pro bono work and did she need help too? Could she manage Mike?_

 _“My grandmother can manage me just fine thank you,” he hissed, the woman startled and looked at him._

 _“How did you just…you were listening in on a private meeting weren’t you? I told you I wanted it to be for the grown-ups, Mrs. Ross-”_

 _“Ms. Carmichael,” Gram cut the woman off with a look. “I appreciate all of the help you’ve offered but I think it’s best if I get Mike home now. Mike?”_

 _“The sooner the better,” he grumbled, willingly walked beside her as they excited the school building and headed for the bus stop. “I’m not a handful am I gram?”_

 _“Don’t be silly Mike,” she carded her hand through his hair. “You are anything but a handful. But how did you know what we had been talking about?”_

 _“I saw it,” Mike shrugged, his grandmother cocked her head._

 _“Saw it? So you did listen in?”_

 _“No,” Mike rubbed his forehead. “I saw it in my head.”_

 _The bus pulled up then and his grandmother didn’t say anything as they got on and took their seats. Mike rubbed his forehead more because it was a crowded bus and the people were all talking about different things._

 _Except they weren’t talking, they were just standing there and not for the first time Mike found himself wondering at exactly how sane he really was._

Harvey’s head hurt from the memory alone, the confusion and the pain and he was pushing forty. He couldn’t imagine what it would have done to an eleven year-old boy. He was about to say something before he was pulled back into the black.

 _He curled up on his bed in the fetal position, trying to make his headache go away by sheer force as he tried not to panic. Gram was at work and the girl from down the hall was watching him until she got off. It wasn’t his fault that the pictures of her and her boyfriend had kept flashing in front of his head. They’d hurt, his head hurt so much, he’d just wanted it to stop._

 _He hadn’t wanted her to stop talking and just stare at the wall. He didn’t even know how he’d done it but she wasn’t speaking, she wasn’t doing anything and he was terrified. The pictures always scared him but he’d always been able to make them go away, but now she was gone and he didn’t know what to do._

 _When his door creaked open, Mike jumped up and wiped at his cheeks, thinking that maybe, just maybe it was Callie and that she was all better. He was instead greeted with the sight of a bald man in a wheelchair and a woman with fiery red hair standing there. His terror increased tenfold._

 _“Shhh, calm down,” the man held a hand out. “You have no reason to be afraid of us.”_

 _“Y-you’re the ones breaking into my house,” Mike told them. “A-and my Gram’s gonna be home soon and she’s gonna kick your asses if you hurt me.”_

 _The man and the woman exchanged amused glances before he wheeled into the room just a little more. Mike crawled further up on his bed._

 _“I have no doubt that she would,” the man soothed. “Luckily we’re not here to hurt you. We’ve come to help. My name is Professor Charles Xavier and this is Dr. Jean Grey, one of the teachers at my school.”_

 _“Help?” Mike asked even as he scanned his brain, he knew this man and this woman for that matter. “Why-I didn’t mean to with Callie and I swear I just wanted the pictures to stop-they make my head hurt so much and it was bad and I swear I’m so sorry.”_

 _“Mike,” Professor Xavier interrupted his babbling. “I know you didn’t mean to do it. I’ve managed to fix it. One of my other teachers, Scott Summers is walking Callie home now. She’ll be fine and she won’t remember what you did to her.”_

 _“I_ — _what? She’s ok? You fixed her? How did you do that?” Mike asked. “And how did you know my name? I don’t know you.”_

 _“I was able to fix her because I’m like you,” Professor Xavier told him._

 _“Like me?”_

 _“A mutant. I have special powers,” Professor Xavier replied. Mike felt something in his head click. Mutation, pictures in his head of the professor speaking at various lectures, Jean Grey with him, research._

 _“You two…I’ve seen you before, you speak out on mutation and mutant rights.”_

 _“You’re good,” Jean chuckled. “Especially for someone so young. Usually powers don’t manifest until puberty.”_

 _Mike watched in fascination as she squinted at a picture of his parents on the bedside table and lifted it up. He gaped as it came down in front of him, danced and then went back to the table. She smiled at him._

 _“I’m telekinetic.”_

 _“What about you?” Mike asked the professor who pointed to his head._

 _“I’m telepathic and you_ — _”_

 _“I’m a mutant?”_

 _The professor’s face softened, Mike risked edging close to him. He was still scared but also willing to listen. The man didn’t seem like he would hurt him, the pictures told him that he liked kids but not in a creepy way and the woman was pretty and had kind eyes. And Callie was fine and his head wasn’t hurting so much anymore._

 _“I’m afraid that’s my doing,” Professor Xavier explained. “It was how I was able to find you. I’ve gotten spikes on your powers before but tonight it was exceptionally bright.”_

 _“You can sense powers?”_

 _“The brain is a gateway to many things,” Professor Xavier told him. “The X-gene is present there. My powers allow me to sense it and I found you.”_

 _“You can make my head stop hurting?” Mike asked._

 _“I can do more than that, if you’d like you could come back to my school with us and I’ll help you learn how to control your powers.”_

 _“The pictures?” Mike asked._

 _“From what I can see you my dear boy deal in the memory, I can help you if you want.”_

 _“I’m not crazy?” Mike asked hopefully, Jean shook her head._

 _“Mike you are anything but crazy, you’re different. A good different.”_

 _“I think it would be best if we waited for your grandmother to return from work,” Professor Xavier informed him. “And we can talk more about the school then.”_

 _“She won’t be back til late,” Mike mumbled._

 _“Well then we’ll keep you company,” Jean offered. “Answer any questions you might have about being a mutant and I happen to know that Scott makes a great cup of hot chocolate.”_

 _“I like hot chocolate,” Mike said, she smiled at him, she had a pretty smile._

 _“Then we can agree on that, come on,” she held a hand out to him,_

 _“There’s nothing to be afraid of Mike, you’re safe now,” Professor Xavier assured him and as Mike reached out to take Jean’s hand, as he walked out to meet Scott Summers and drink some of the best hot chocolate he’d ever had._

Harvey slid from that memory, one full of pain and hope straight into another one.

 _The oak walls were tall, the windows large, and he was the only sitting in it at the moment even though there were obviously other people staying in it. The room was bigger than the entire apartment he’d shared with gram._

 _Had shared. He wasn’t living there anymore. He’d come with the Professor, Jean, and Scott because they were like him. They were mutants and they understood and Gram had let him come to the school with her blessing. She’d always known he was special._

 _He jumped when he heard the door slam open and turned his head towards it and found two other boys running inside. They stopped when they saw him. There was a staring contest before the blonde one broke away and approached him._

 _“You new here?”_

 _He nodded._

 _“I’m Bobby, this is John,” he nodded to the other kid._

 _“Mike,” he responded. Bobby smiled._

 _“What can you do?” John asked, Mike looked at him. “Your powers?”_

 _“Oh…I see memories?” Mike responded. John gave him a funny look._

 _“You don’t know?”_

 _“I-I just found out,” Mike shrugged. “I thought I was crazy for a long time.”_

 _The both of them just smiled at him and he saw it, understanding._

 _“If you’re crazy then we are too,” Bobby assured him._

 _“Crazy freaks,” John snorted._

 _“We were going to go down to the kitchen, get a drink, want to come with us?” Bobby asked._

 _“Really?” Mike asked, Bobby just nodded, and he was grateful for the way he didn’t comment on the fact that Mike seemed surprised. “I’d like that.”_

 _“Good, have you gotten a tour yet?”_

 _“Scott gave me one a little while ago,” Mike responded as he hopped off the bed and walked towards the door with the two of them._

 _“He gave you the goody two-shoes tour,” John griped. “Come on kid, we’ll give you the fun one.”_

 _Mike laughed at the two of them as they all left the room together. For the first time in a long time he felt like he’d be alright._

 _He felt like it would all be alright_

Mike pulled the both of them out of his head then and released Harvey’s hand, looked up when he heard the other man gasp.

“Deep breaths,” he rasped as he tried to listen to his own advice. “Take deep breaths.”

He felt himself come down from the high that living in those memories could leave him with and watched as Harvey wiped tears off of his cheeks and took those breaths.

“Is it always like that?”

“It can be, depends on the strength of the memories,” Mike replied. “I took you to some big ones in my life.”

“I…you had your powers that young?” he asked. Mike took another breath and nodded.

“The accident with my parents triggered it,” he explained. “I hit my head and then the trauma of losing my parents like that…triggered it. At least that’s the running theory. I didn’t know what it was until the professor found me.”

“That babysitter.”

“My powers were…are dangerous if I’m not in control,” Mike responded. “I was untrained then and so hurt and confused over my parents and what I was seeing. I didn’t have any friends because I was a freak.”

“You had friends.”

“When I left with the professor, Jean, and Scott,” Mike replied, willing away the sadness that threatened to creep up at the thought of all three of his first friends being gone. The professor was back but not in the capacity that Mike knew him. Here he was more friend than father figure. “I made friends at the school because no one thought I was a freak. No one judged me when I looked into their memories.”

“I…that school…your files you disappeared, but you went there?”

“I did,” Mike answered. “And for the safety of the students that still go there I won’t show you more of my time there. We’ve had problems with it before.”

Mike watched as Harvey nodded and took another breath.

“How long…how long were you there?”

“To be honest I had planned to stay on as teacher,” Mike replied. “I was being trained for it but then gram got bad and I couldn’t just leave her. So I decided to venture out into the real world and college and then everything went to shit with Trevor and…here we are.”

“Except we’re not,” Harvey pointed out. “You left again…to go be a superhero.”

“You listened in yesterday huh?”

“Donna isn’t the only one who can do it,” he grumbled. “The Professor…He…”

“The men in your office were younger versions of Charles and his onetime associate, Erik Lensherr. They were brought here by a mutant intent on destroying them,” Mike responded. “They landed near the building and their memories are…intense.”

“How do you…even manage?”

Mike chuckled.

“I had a good teacher,” he replied. “I’m good at controlling it all now. Sometimes it overwhelms and that’s when—”

“That’s what the weed was for,” Harvey informed him, Mike nodded.

“I thought I needed it, being back with the team has made me realize that I don’t.”

“Team,” Harvey repeated. “You have a team.”

“I’m part of one and no I won’t give you more information on that either,” Mike told him.

“There’s something going on,” Harvey accused. “That’s why you’re here tonight.”

Mike grimaced.

“I won’t lie, there’s some big stuff happening and I wanted to give you answers before they went down,” Mike responded. “And…I….I need to ask you for a favor.”

“A favor?” Harvey asked, Mike nodded.

“If…if something does happen can you look in on gram?”

“What?” Harvey asked as a cold fear slid through his stomach. “Does she know about you’re extracurricular activities?”

Mike laughed.

“I was told to go kick some ass,” he responded. “We moved her to a more secure facility and her bills will be taken care of but I don’t want her to be alone Harvey and she knows about you and—I trust you.”

“I’ll do it,” Harvey promised and he found that it was true. He felt warmth in the fact that out of everyone in his life that Mike cared about, he was being trusted with the most precious one. “I just need to know where she is.”

“Donna will know,” Mike grinned. “She knows everything.”

“I’m starting to realize that,” Harvey mused. “Mike….this is dangerous isn’t it?”

“It’s part of my job, Harvey.”

“You could just come back to being a lawyer,” he offered. “Much less dangerous.”

“A tad bit less fulfilling though,” Mike shrugged. “I…I love the chance you gave me and I love the law but it’s not…home.”

“And you’re home now?”

Mike smiled, Harvey though he’d never looked more beautiful.

“I really am. I’ve missed everything about it so much,” he responded. “Are we…ok now?”

“We…thank you,” Harvey told him after a moment. “For sharing that with me. It…it makes things clearer to me and yes we’re ok.”

“Good,” Mike let out a breath and dropped against the couch. “That’s good.”

“You look tired,” Harvey pointed out.

“Been a long couple of days,” Mike responded.

“Then stay,” Harvey all but ordered, where he could keep an eye on Mike for just a little while longer. Mike chuckled.

“For a little while.”

They stayed like that on the couch, talking until Mike drifted off. Harvey watched him sleep for just a little while before he must have fallen asleep himself. He woke up to the sound of his phone going off and a cold spot beside him on the couch with a note where Mike had been.

 _Duty Calls. Thank you for understanding._

 _~M_


	11. Erasure

**Part Eleven: Erasure**

“You made us suits?”

Hank looked sheepish as he stood by the open crate with Charles and Erik in front of him, dressed in the suits he’d spent the night making with Raven. He had come back to explain the suits while the others were getting the jet ready which left him alone with his two former mentors.

“To be fair I was already making them by this point in your time,” Hank replied. “These are just a more updated version. You’re part of the team now. It’s only right you dress like the rest of us.”

“And Raven?”

“Already has hers,” Hank assured the both of them.

“Team,” Erik repeated as he reached in and grabbed his suit, looking up at sharp. “You still consider me part of this team?”

“You’re not my enemy here,” Hank told him calmly.

“But I am your enemy at the same time,” Erik repeated, Hank sighed. He and the others had known this wouldn’t easy. “I do not want to be the enemy.”

“I know,” Hank replied. “And to be fair I don’t think you had plans to be at the time. But my battle isn’t with you right now, it’s with Jupiter.”

“It will never be with me,” Erik assured him. “I will not let this be the outcome.”

Hank sucked in a breath. He’d known that it was a possibility and there was even a part of him that hoped that Erik and Charles would change what was coming. He hadn’t realized just how big of an impact Erik had had on Charles until seeing them again. He hadn’t realized how much he missed the dynamic the two had. Separate they were powerful. Together they would be absolutely terrifying and beautiful.

“We won’t,” Charles added. “We won’t let out family disperse as it has.”

“Even me?” Hank gestured to his fur, Charles gave him an odd look.

“You’re mutation makes you stronger, this is merely another aspect of it,” Erik pointed out. “You are still Hank McCoy.”

“Do me a favor and remember that,” Hank told him. “Both of you remember that.”

“Beast,” Alex stuck his head in. “They need you outside for something.”

“Right umm…”

“I’ll stay and make sure they’re alright,” Alex assured as he stepped into the room. Hank nodded and walked out of the room, pausing once to share a silent communication with Alex. The blonde cracked a smile, Hank chuckled and left.

“You look good,” Alex told them. “Both of you.”

“You look grown-up,” Charles remarked. “A leader.”

“Like riding a bike,” Alex replied. “I don’t usually do this kind of thing anymore.”

“Getting too old for it?” Erik teased, Alex chuckled.

“Something like that,” he responded. “Sean and I leave it to the young ones. We come back if they need us. Other than that I’m…content.”

“With Darwin,” Charles remarked, Alex’s eyes widened. “Your thoughts about him aren’t very well hidden. He’s at the forefront of them most days. I saw he was back on day one.”

“I…we thought it would be best if he stayed where he was,” Alex sighed. “I didn’t want to keep it from you but it’s hard to explain.”

“He adapted,” Erik replied. “I do not see the hardship in that.”

“A little more complicated than that,” Alex pointed out. “Yes he adapted but it…there’s a story.”

“It’s enough to know that he returns,” Charles soothed. “I know his disappearance weighed heavily on you.”

“That’s the understatement of the century but…don’t tell my younger self ok?” Alex asked.

“And why shouldn’t we?”

“Because it’ll make the reunion…it’s just better,” Alex added.

“You won’t have our memories erased?” Erik asked. Alex shook his head.

“We’ve contemplated it but no one is as powerful as Charles,” he smiled, Charles shifted. “Not even Emma. You’d be able to tell besides…maybe it’ll do some good. I’ve…I’d forgotten a lot about you two. Blocked it out to make it easier.”

“I think we all did that didn’t we?”

The heads turned and found Sean walking towards them.

“There was a lot of pain and anger,” Alex conceded. “On everyone’s parts.”

“Towards me,” Erik surmised.

“That was a big part of it,” Sean offered as he stood beside Alex. “But Alex is right, I’d forgotten.”

“Forgotten what?” Erik asked.

“How strong we were together,” Charles smiled at Erik. “I think this is a good reminder to us both. We can take it and learn.”

“We stay together,” Erik repeated.

“Thank god,” Sean breathed. “Because divorce is no fun for anyone.”

“Hey lovebirds we’re ready out here,” Raven’s voice echoed throughout the room.

“We can’t be lovebirds when our significant others aren’t here,” Sean countered. “His is in South America and mine is in Scotland.”

“Scotland?” Raven asked, eyebrow arched as Sean shrugged and walked towards her with the others. He filed past as she giggled with Alex hot on his heels. Charles and Erik paused by Raven and gave her a look.

“Things will be different,” Charles assured her, she nodded.

“I have no doubt about it,” she leaned up and pressed a kiss to both of their cheeks. “Let’s go kick some ass now.”

“Together,” Erik reiterated and the smile Raven gave him was bright, the way Charles squeezed his arm was reassuring. Together they would do this and be better for it. He was tired of being alone.

 _Never again. We will never be alone again._

-

The ocean rippled beneath them. The jet was quiet as both he and Hank maneuvered it through the skies. His eyes were focused on the radar in front of him, according to all of their information they should be nearing Jupiter’s submarine but nothing was coming up.

“They have to have something to cloak them,” Mike grumbled. “We should be there.”

“It’s possible. I didn’t stay long enough to find out,” Raven called out.

“And luckily we have a human radar!”

Mike and Hank spared a moment to glance back and found Sean standing up with Charles and Erik.

“Give them hell!” Hank called out as he flipped a button, the bay doors slid open. Their altitude dropped.

“Storm a little cover if you please!” Mike requested. She nodded, her eyes went white and a fog settled over the sea in front of them.

“I’ll be linked to your mind,” Charles assured him. “When you find it we’ll know and-”

“And then leave the rest to me,” Erik grinned. Sean gave them all thumbs up before he dropped out of the plane and into the water. The faint sounds of his sonic scream vibrated the plane as they kept flying. They kept their altitude and their speed for ten minutes.

“He has them,” Charles called out. “Erik are you ready for this?”

“Let’s find out,” Erik shouted before he crawled through the bay doors and onto the protruding wheel of the jet. He took a breath, concentrated and felt his body hum the second he latched onto the hulking piece of metal beneath the surface of the water. It was deep but not far enough to escape his reach. The panels called to him and he reached out to the molecules and pulled up. He lurched forward but Charles reached out and put a hand on him.

“Steady,” he called out. Erik nodded and pulled again, the metal made his blood sing. He focused himself and pulled up, gasped as the memory of his mother and now of Charles flitted through his head, the point between rage and serenity, his power was stronger here. He could do this. The submarine was being pulled through the water, faster, faster, and he breathed again when it broke the surface. It struggled against his hold but he shook his head, he was the master of metal and it would not win. He was in control in ways he hadn’t been since he was a small child. The submarine stayed and he looked up at Charles who smiled. He nodded and turned his attention to the sub where he was unsurprised to see someone breaking through the hatch.

It was that girl and she gave him a grin before her hands lit up and balls of light flew straight towards the wings of the ship. They hit and literally burned through the material. The jet did a hard left, Erik held onto the metal base for dear life as water sprayed against his suit. He felt two pairs of hands on him, tugging him up and out of the way as the girl’s next blasts barely missed him. Erik found himself on the floor of the plane with Logan beside him and Charles on top of him as it spiraled out against them. He was surprised that he still had control of the submarine.

“Small Island fifty meters ahead!” Hank shouted.

“On it!” Mike replied as he shifted buttons and tried to steer as best he could. The blasts were still raining down on them; the damage to their system was bad. “Everyone brace yourselves it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”

“I’ll give you some wind!”

Mike was grateful for the gusts Storm sent their way. He was actually mildly certain that was the only reason they were still in the air at all. The jet did a hard right, another hard left, Kitty screamed and then his world narrowed to the sixty seconds it took them hit the forest ground of the island hard. His body jerked forward, his ribs ached as the restraints took the force of the crash.

He’s sure the jet is destroyed but that’s the least of his worries. His head jerks to the side and he finds Hank is still alive and switching off the engines. Check one, he glanced back and found everyone else getting out of their restraints or being cut out by Logan.

“Everyone alright?”

“If we could never do that again it’d be great,” Alex griped as Mike god rid of his own restraints and stood up. “It was eerily similar to Cuba.”

“Well the little brat wants to be just like his father,” Emma replied as she stood. “Erik? Charles?”

“Fine,” Charles said as he stood with Erik’s help.

“I brought us a present,” Erik nodded to outside of the window. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked; found that at an equally destroyed submarine with a hole in the side of it was near them. A hole that had three angry mutants outside of it.

“Alright let’s do this,” Alex called out. Mike nodded as Bobby took on his ice form, Peter donned his metal, and Emma took on the diamond.

“Charles and I are going after Jupiter,” Erik replied. “He wants us, he’ll have us.”

 “Understood but I’m going with you,” Logan informed them. “You need more muscle.”

“He’s right,” Erik replied. “Nike isn’t with him.”

 A blast rocked the ship, Hank growled.

“It’s on, let’s clear a path,” Alex ordered.

They all pushed out of the now destroyed jet and into the fight. Mike was vaguely aware of the fact that red blasts were bursting past his ear but he was too busy ducking the ones being sent by Hallie. He dropped to the ground when Rogue pulled him, watched as one of the guys lit up in green and went full force towards Bobby who sent a wave of ice towards him.

 _Wise Man come with us, I have_ _a plan._

Mike looked up to find Emma in her diamond form sprinting towards the submarine behind Erik, Charles, Kitty and Logan. He felt Rogue get up from beside him and watched as she left her gloves behind. He nodded, got up and followed their lead, let Rogue, Bobby, Piotr, Alex, Storm and Hank take over for the ground fight. He ducked and kicked at the women in red, pushed her towards Storm who sent a flash of lightening towards her before he ducked inside the submarine.

He followed the sounds of shouting and crunching metal, past the control room, into what he could only deem as an inner sanctum because it was a blank spot for his powers. When he got there he was greeted by the sight of Logan and Kitty tearing down the walls, Emma off to one side with Nike and Charles, Erik, and Jupiter in the middle. Neither Nike nor Jupiter moved.

“We decided it would be best if they stayed put,” Emma grunted. “Charles and I have a hold on it for now.”

“Right,” Mike looked at the walls. “Should I be helping?”

“It would be appreciated!” Logan remarked. Mike nodded and grabbed a nearby pipe and started to shatter the materials within it as he focused his ears onto the center of the room.

“You are the reason my father is dead, his dream gone, you killed everything!”

“Your father as a very bad man,” Erik snarled. “He killed my mother in front of me.”

“He wanted to kill everyone on the planet,” Charles added.

“He wanted mutants to rule! He had the vision! And you both killed my mother,” Jupiter hissed. Mike stopped destroying the room then and looked at Nike.

“Is that really what you told him?”

“It’s true,” Nike screeched. “They killed her and his father. Left him with nothing.”

“Or Shaw killed her,” Mike replied. “And you developed the serum that did it.”

“I did-”

He dropped the pipe and approached her.

“You did, I can see it here,” he pointed to his head before he turned to Jupiter who was watching them. “Your father had you engineered, your mother was a mutant he had captive. Your aunt developed it all, had her impregnated and then killed her right after you were born.”

“I don’t believe you,” Jupiter hissed. “She loves me. She believes in my vision. Tell them it’s not true!”

“Of course it’s not, these are the lies I promised you would come, break through the hold they have and destroy them. Take our vengeance and then the world will be ours.”

 _Emma what’s your plan here?_

 _We need him alive to send Charles and Erik back. Can you go in and erase everything?_

 _Everything?_

 _Charles and I will help._

Mike sucked in a breath, cocked his head, contemplated and the nodded. He’d never done anything like it before but he figured he could accomplish it with Emma and Charles by his side. He could do this. He didn’t have a choice. And then he noticed Nike’s fingers twitch, he backed away the second her hand moved, she swung out, slower than normal, but still too fast for Mike to really get out of her way. Her nails shifted into claws and raked against his chest. He screamed because fuck that hurt.

“I will avenge my brother,” she warned before she went for him again, Mike was pulled out of the way by Kitty as Logan leaped over him, claws out and crouched down to eye her.

“Stay away from him,” he growled.

“You ok?” Kitty asked.

“Had worse,” Mike groaned as they backed away. “Can you keep her occupied? I have work to do.”

“You got it,” Kitty left him and dove through Logan to grab onto Nike. When he was sure she was thoroughly occupied he willed the pain on his chest to go away as he ran to the others.

“Mike are you—”

“I’ll be fine,” he assured Charles as he looked at Jupiter. “We don’t have a lot of time here.”

“I will go and assist with Shaws sister, she is the route of his problems,” Erik backed away as he levitated the metal pipe beside him and sent it into the fight. Nike was fast, her nails like claws as she fought three mutants at once. Mike looked at Emma and Charles.

“I’m going to stand guard, you two go in, erase it all and then I’ll go in.”

“Right,” Mike nodded as he looked at Jupiter who eyed him.

“We could be Kings,” he told him. “Rule together.”

“We’re not meant to be kings,” Mike informed him as Charles put a hand on his shoulder, he felt the black calling and this time he took them both inside.


	12. Beyond the Beginning

**Part Twelve: Beyond the Beginning**

Mike walked down the hall, briefcase in one hand, phone in the other, running through what they needed to hash out for the meeting in his head. He expected to be confronted with some problems because New York City’s best closer was cocky, but it was justified because he was so damn good at what he did. He got that from enough memories to prepare himself for the coming storm and if he were being honest he was kind of excited about it. He rarely got to fight with words.

He stopped a young man in the hall.

“Excuse me can you direct me towards Harvey Specter’s office?”

“Down the hall to the right, are you Mr. Ross?”

“And you’re the associate I’ve been dealing with all week huh?” Mike asked, the memories of the man before him filtering in. working late, stressing over this case because he didn’t agree with what they were defending because his sister was a mutant. “Kyle Durant.”

“That’s me.”

Mike held his hand out, they shook, he grinned at the spike of interest he got at the contact. Kyle had thought that their conversations were interesting enough to get him checking into mutant law.

“You didn’t do such a bad job,” Mike assured him. “And you should consider it. We could use more people like you on our side.”

“Consider what?”

“Mutant law,” Mike fished a card out of his pocket. “Give me a call sometime. I’d be happy to talk to you about it.”

“I…thanks,” Kyle smiled at him. “I think I might take you up on that.”

“Go on and if your sister needs help have her call me too, I know people,” Mike told him quietly, Kyle’s eyes widened, Mike nodded to the silent question, the other man grinned.

“You have to go through Donna first,” Kyle pointed. “They’re waiting for you.”

“Thanks,” Mike nodded before he pocketed his phone and walked down the hall. He paused at the desk Kyle had mentioned and was greeted with the sight of redhead.

“Donna? I’m—”

“Mike Ross,” she murmured before she broke out into a grin. “I knew our paths would cross again.”

“I’m sorry?” Mike asked. “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’d remember someone as pretty as you.”

She shook her head.

“No, I guess we haven’t in this world have we?” she asked, Mike gave her a confused look, she just waved him towards the office. “Go on in Harvey and Mr. Crake are waiting.”

“Great thank you.”

He headed inside and was immediately greeted with the sight of a very good looking man in a three piece suit standing there with his client. Mike took a minute to appreciate the view before he approached and held his hand out.

“Mr. Specter, Mike Ross, I’m representing Mr. Lensherr and Dr. Xavier,” they shook hands.

“Harvey Specter and your clients couldn’t be bothered to come with you today?”

“You’ll find that I have full authorization to act on behalf of them. I’m afraid they had a more pressing meeting with the President of the European Union that couldn’t be moved,” Mike replied coolly. “They’re about to introduce a new bill advocating mutant rights, the ones that your client blatantly disregarded a month ago when he attempted to strip my clients of their right to free speech.”

“They don’t have rights!” Crake shouted. “They’re freaks! All of you are freaks!”

“John be quiet,” Harvey warned.

“I’d do as he says,” Mike told him. “Because anything you say here will be put to use in a court of law because we fully intend on pressing charges where you will find yourself judged by a jury of your peers where one in every six of them will have a mutant in the family. Not to mention I know many judges who are for my rights as a citizen of this country.”

“You have no proof that my client tried to sabotage them at that rally,” Harvey pointed out. “It’s all hearsay and you’re lucky that I don’t press charges for the slander the media has been spinning about him.”

“Mr. Specter,” Mike walked over to his desk and put his messenger bag down, he opened the flap and pulled out a folder and held it out to him. “In that folder you’ll find sworn statements from all of Mr. Crake’s accomplices, who he bullied into doing with the threat of losing their jobs. All of them point to his intent to strip Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, the leaders of the mutant advocacy group of their right to speak at the rally last month. You will also find that the only reason one of them isn’t dead is because Mr. Lensherr’s powers afforded him the opportunity to feel the gun Mr. Crake had on him that day.”

“I-you have no proof. I never-”

Mike pulled out another folder, reached inside and pulled out a receipt and a photograph and handed it to Harvey.

“There you’ll find the receipt for the gun he bought the day before, the bullets, and a picture of it in sight taken from a traffic camera.”

“John what did you do?” Harvey asked.

“Thankfully nothing because Mr. Lensherr was able to disable the weapon but had your client been able to use it you wouldn’t be able to find his body,” Mike promised. Harvey raised an eyebrow.

“That’s a threat! You heard that Harvey he just threatened me,” Crake pointed at Mike who just gave him a smile.

“It’s not a threat, it’s actually a promise because you’ll find that Mr. Lensherr is very protective of his husband and those he cares about. Now,” Mike got one more item from the bag and presented it to Crake. Harvey snatched it before the other man could take it.

“What is this?”

“A letter from Joanna Crake, your client’s daughter,” Mike told him, Harvey’s eyes crinkled and he looked at his client. “You didn’t know he had one did you?”

“News to me and I’ve been your lawyer for three years now.”

“Probably because he threw her out when she was thirteen,” Mike told him.

“Because she wasn’t right! She was a freak and she deserved to-”

“When we found her she was half starved and beaten to within an inch of her life,” Mike told Harvey. “She told us that her father had done it to her because she could make water come out of her hands. She was at that rally with us to speak about being a youth mutant. Your client was acting with the intent of finishing the job he’d started and on enacting revenge on those who took her in.”

“John is this true?” Harvey asked quietly, Mike was surprised to see a memory of Harvey at a mutant rights rally back in college flicker through his mind. He wondered briefly if he had seen him at one, goodness knew he went to enough of them with Charles and Erik in case they needed an attorney.

“I was not! I did not-” he stopped talking when Mike tapped his forehead.

“You can’t hide things from me Mr. Crake, I can see it all in your memories, I know what you were planning.”

“That won’t hold up in court,” Harvey informed him. Mike smiled.

“No it won’t but I have ample evidence that will and I know at least ten judges who like me and love Charles and Erik.”

“They have no right to her. She’s a minor and mine,” Crake grumbled. “She’s not right and neither are you. It’s unnatural.”

“I’ve heard it all before Mr. Crake and the face of the matter is this: you gave up your rights,” Mike told him. “You and your wife didn’t even show up in court on the day we contested them. That folder also contains the transfer of custody to my clients. It was all legal. That letter is her final goodbye and a restraining order against Mr. Crake and his wife. Now,” Mike sat down opposite his client. “Let’s talk about how much time you’re going to give me in prison and damages.”

Harvey’s lips quirked into a grin as he took a seat and kept his client quiet as he looked at Mike.

“This should be interesting.”

“And fun,” Mike replied with a smirk. “Can’t forget that.”

XXXXXXXXXX

He stood outside of Pearson Hardman, fiddling with his bike lock because he wanted to get back to his hotel room for the night, rest and then make sure the paperwork for Crake went through. When he was processed Mike would rest a little easier and head home to his classes.

“Ross!”

He stopped with his bike, stood, and turned to find Specter walking towards him.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Look I just wanted to…apologize for my clients words, please know that they do not reflect the views of myself or the firm,” Harvey told him. Mike grinned.

“I know it doesn’t and honestly it’s nothing I haven’t heard before,” Mike replied. “It comes with the territory.”

There was silence between them.

“You rode your bike here?” Harvey asked incredulously.

“I usually do when I’m in the city,” Mike chuckled. “My powers make it difficult to drive and I’m not looking to endanger anyone besides myself.”

More silence.

“Fair enough.”

“I think so,” Mike told him. He was about to turn back to said bike when a black car pulled up. He straightened up when Charles got out of the backseat with Erik right behind him. “Aren’t you supposed to be with the EU President?”

“We may be an old married couple but we are still capable of multi-tasking,” Erik teased. Mike chuckled. “And something has come up, we’re needed back home. Are things squared about with Crake?”

“I promise he’ll be taken care of by tomorrow morning,” Harvey replied.

“He’s right, he’ll be serving five years for attempted assault and has agreed to stay away from Joanna,” Mike replied. “This is Harvey Specter, Mr. Crake’s council.”

“Pleasure, “Charles shook his hand. “I hate to ruin the conversation but we really must be going.”

Mike glanced into the back of the car and found that Kitty, Rogue, and Bobby were all waiting for him with Scott in the front seat with Jean.

“You can leave your bike here, I’ll store it somewhere safe,” Harvey offered. “The least I can do after the comments.”

“Fair enough,” Mike repeated as he handed him the key. “If something happens to it I’ll know where to find you.”

“Mike,” Erik said. He rolled his eyes.

“Coming, coming, coming.”

“I hope to see you again Mr. Specter.”

“Harvey.”

“Then you can call me Mike,” he grinned as he waved and slid into the backseat. Charles and Erik followed him in and they pulled away from the curb.

“Who was that morsel?” Jean asked him. Mike shrugged.

“Opposing council, he was fun,” Mike replied.

“Details later,” Kitty informed him. “Because he was cute. I suggest you get on that.”

“Children the last thing we need is to hear about potential boyfriends for Mike,” Erik huffed; they all turned their eyes to him. “There are more pressing concerns to deal with.”

Charles chuckled and pressed a kiss to Erik’s cheek, they all rolled their eyes.

“Says the man who still acts like he’s on his honeymoon,” Bobby teased. Erik’s lips twitched.

“Can you blame me though?”

“You’ll certainly hear no complaints from me,” Charles told him, Erik gave him a wolfish grin,

“And to stop y’all from having eye-sex in the car why don’t we tell Mike what’s up,” Rogue suggested. “World impending doom of course.”

“Must be Thursday,” Mike said. “Let’s go be superheroes.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnd that's it folks. Thank you for sticking with it. I hope you enjoyed it. I certainly had a blast writing it.
> 
> ALSO, for the bigbang, there has been absolutely LOVELY artwork done for it.
> 
> Book cover done by Firefox1490 can be found here:  
> http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/Enigmaforum/Suits%20Big%20Bang/OfFateandChoiceBookCover.jpg
> 
> Fanmix done by vertrauen and can be found here:  
> http://zellersee.livejournal.com/21401.html  
> Cover for the fanmix can be found here:  
> http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/Enigmaforum/Suits%20Big%20Bang/OFACAlbumCover.png


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